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ffVJU*S    )UjfáZt 


ROYAL    IRISH    ACADEMY 

TODD  LECTURE  SERIES 

VOLUME  XIV 
KUNO  MEYER,  Ph.D. 


THE   DEATH-TALES   OF  THE   ULSTER 
HEROES 


DUBLIN 

HODGES,   FIGGIS,   &   CO.    LTD. 

LONDON:  WILLIAMS  &  NORGATE 

1906 

(Reprinted  1937) 


Ity* 


cJ&íc+u. 


rs**  "** 


ROYAL    IRISH   ACADEMY 
TODD  LECTURE  SERIES 


VOLUME   XIV. 


KUNO  MEYER 


THE  DEATH-TALES   OF   THE   ULSTER 
HEROES 


DUBLIN 

HODGES,    FIGGIS,    &    CO.,    Ltd, 

LONDON  :  WILLIAMS  &  NORGATE 

1906 


s^  B     °* 


^N 


Made  and  Printed  by  the  Replika  Process  in  Great  Britain  by 
PERCY  LUND,    HUMPHRIES    &f    CO.    LTD. 

1 2  Bedford  Square,  London,  W.C.  i 
and  at  Bradford 


CONTENTS 


Peeface,  ....... 

I.  The  Death  of  Conchobar, 
II.  The  Death  of  Lóegaire  Búadach    . 

III.  The  Death  of  Celtchar  mac  Uthechaib, 

IV.  The  Death  of  Fergus  mac  Róich,  . 
V.  The  Death  of  Cet  mac  Magach, 

Notes,     ........ 

Index  Nominum,      .  ... 

Index  Locorum, 

Glossary,       ....... 


PAGE 

v-vii 

2 

22 

24 

32 

36 

48 

.     46 

.     47 

.     48 


PREFACE 

It  is  a  remarkable  accident  that,  except  in  one  instance,  so  very- 
few  copies  of  the  death-tales  of  the  chief  warriors  attached  to 
King  Conchobar's  court  at  Emain  Macha  should  have  come  down 
to  us.  Indeed,  if  it  were  not  for  one  comparatively  late  manu- 
script now  preserved  outside  Ireland,  in  the  Advocates'  Library, 
Edinburgh,  we  should  have  to  rely  for  our  knowledge  of  most 
of  these  stories  almost  entirely  on  Keating's  History  of  Ireland. 
Under  these  circumstances  it  has  seemed  to  me  that  I  could 
hardly  render  a  better  service  to  Irish  studies  than  to  preserve 
these  stories,  by  transcribing  and  publishing  them,  from  the 
accidents  and  the  natural  decay  to  which  they  are  exposed  as 
long  as  they  exist  in  a  single  manuscript  copy  only. 

In  the  well-known  list  of  Irish  tales  preserved  in  the  Book 
of  Leinster  and  elsewhere,  under  the  title  oitte,  i.e.  '  tragical  or 
violent  deaths/  eight  death-stories  of  Ulster  heroes  are  enume- 
rated as  follows  :  the  deaths  of  Cúchulinn,  of  Conall  {i.e.  Conall 
Cernach),  of  Celtchar,  of  Blái  the  Hospitaller,  of  Lóegaire, 
of  Fergus  (mac  Eóich),  of  King  Conchobar  himself,  and  of 
Fiamain. 

TheDeath  of  Cúchulinn  forms  an  episode  in  the  story  called 
Brislech  Mór  Maige  Murthemne ;  and  extracts  from  the  version 
in  the  Book  of  Leinster  have  been  edited  and  translated  by 
Whitley  Stokes,  in  the  Revue  Celtique,  vol.  III.,  p.  175  ff.  It  is 
curious  that,  apart  from  this  twelfth-century  version,  we  have 
no  copies  older  than  the  eighteenth  century.  These  modern 
copies  are  enumerated  by  Prof.  D'Arbois  de  Jubainville  in  his 
Catalogue  de  la  Litter uture  Epique  de  VIrlande,  p.  15. 

The  Death  of  Conall  Cernach  is  told  in  a  tale,  the  full  title 


vi  PREFACE 

of  which  is  '  The  Cherishing  of  Conall  Cernach  in  Cruachan,  and 
the  Death  of  Ailill  and  of  Conall  Cernach.'  It  has  been  edited 
and  translated  by  me,  from  the  only  two  existing  manuscripts, 
in  the  first  volume  of  the  Zeitschrift  fur  celtische  Philologie, 
p.  102  ff. 

The  Death  of  Celtchar  son  of  Uthechar  is  found  in  a  very 
fragmentary  and  illegible  condition  in  the  Book  of  Leinster, 
p.  118  b.  Fortunately  there  exists  a  second  complete  copy  in 
the  Edinburgh  MS.  xl,  pp.  9.-1 1.1  It  has  not  hitherto  been 
edited  or  translated. 

The  Death  of  Blai  the  Hospitaller  has  been  preserved  only  in 
the  Edinburgh  MS.,  where  it  occupies  pp.  11-13.  It  is  here  for 
the  first  time  edited  and  translated. 

Of  the  Death  of  Lóegaire  Búadach  we  have  only  one  ancient 
copy,  again  in  the  Edinburgh  MS.,  pp.  8-9,  hitherto  unpublished. 
There  is  a  shorter  and  later  version,  which  is  practically  that 
of  Keating's  History,  contained  in  two  eighteenth-century  mss. 
in  the  Royal  Irish  Academy,  numbered  23.  B.  21,  p.  176,  and 
23.  G.  21,  p.  142,  respectively.  Copies  of  these  I  owe  to  the 
kindness  of  Mr.  R.  Irvine  Best. 

The  Death  of  Fergus  mac  Bóich  is  also  preserved  in  a  single 
copy  only,  again  to  be  found  in  the  Edinburgh  MS.,  p.  5.  Our 
only  source  hitherto  has  been  Keating's  version. 

The  only  tale  among  those  enumerated  above  which  has 
reached  us  in  fairly  numerous  copies  is  that  of  the  Death  of 
Conchobar.  Prof.  D'Arbois  de  Jubainville,  I.e.,  p.  13,  enumerates 
four  manuscripts2  in  addition  to  Keating's  account,  which  is  also 
that  of  23.  G.  21,  and  23.  B.  21.  To  these  a  fifth  must  be  added, 
the  version  in  the  Edinburgh  MS.  xl,  pp.  1-3,  which  is  unfortu- 
nately illegible  at  the  beginning.     Mr.  Edward   Gwynn  has 


1  For  a  full  account  of  the  contents  of  this  manuscript,  one  of  the  most 
valuable  in  the  Edinburgh  collection,  see  my  article  in  the  Celtic  Magazine  for 
1887,  pp.  208-218. 

2  The  Stowe  ms.  cited  by  him  is  now  marked  D.  4.  2.  The  copy  of  Aided 
Chonchobuir  is  found  on  fol.  64  a  2. 


PREFACE  vii 

kindly  supplied  me  with  a  transcript  of  the  version  contained 
in  the  Liber  Flavus  Fergusiorum ;  and  Mr.  R  I.  Best  has  copied, 
and  placed  at  my  disposal,  the  version  in  23.  N.  10,  a  MS.  in  the 
library  of  the  Royal  Irish  Academy. 

The  tale  last  mentioned  in  the  list,  that  of  the  Death  of 
Fiamain,  seems  now  lost.  At  least,  so  far  as  I  know,  no  copy 
of  it  has  yet  been  discovered ;  nor  does  Keating  give  any 
account  of  it.  Fiamain  mac  Forrói  is  mentioned  in  Tochmarc 
Emire  as  one  of  those  Irish  youths  who  were  learning  feats  of 
arms  with  Scáthach  in  Britain  when  Cúchulinn  came  there  for 
the  same  purpose  (see  Zeitschr.  ill.,  p.  250,  §  67) ;  and  in  the 
poem  at  the  end  of  that  tale  (ib.,  p.  262,  1.  8)  a  Fiamain  is 
enumerated  among  the  young  warriors  in  the  Cráeb  Rúad  at 
Emain  Macha.  But  whether  this  was  Fiamain  mac  Forrói  or 
some  other  Fiamain  is  doubtful.  The  only  other  references  to 
the  former  that  I  can  find  are — first,  one  in  Cináed  húa  Harta- 
cáin's  poem  on  the  deaths  of  some  of  the  nobles  of  Erin,  which 
has  been  edited  and  translated  by  Whitley  Stokes  in  Bevue 
Celtique,  vol.  xxiii.,  p.  303  ff.  Here  he  is  said  to  have  been 
slain  at  Dun  mBinne,1  a  fort  that  has  not  been  identified.  A 
battle  of  Duma  Beinne  is  mentioned  in  Cath  Maige  Rath,  p.  211. 
The  other  reference  to  Fiamain  mac  Forrói  occurs  in  a  poem 
in  that  tale,  p.  213  :  '  Seven  battles  around  Cathir  Conrói,  the 
wrecking  of  Fiamain  mac  Forói,  the  wrecking  of  Cúrói,  together 
with  the  seventeen  sons  of  Deda.' 

In  addition  to  these  Ulster  death-tales,  the  Edinburgh 
manuscript  contains  an  account  of  the  death  of  the  redoubt- 
able Connaught  warrior  Cet  mac  Magach.  Of  this  story,  as 
it  has  not  hitherto  been  published,  I  add  an  edition  and 
translation. 

K.  M. 


1  Forbais  Báin  Binni  is  the  title  of  a  tale  mentioned  in  the  list  in  the  Book  of 
Leinster,  p.  189  c  ;  but  no  copy  of  it  is  known. 


THE  DEATH-TALES  OF  THE  ULSTER  HEROES 


(     2     ) 


I.  THE   DEATH   OF  CONCHOBAK 

We  possess,  as  stated  on  page  vi,  five  manuscript  copies  of  Aided 
Chonchobuir,  apart  from  the  account  contained  in  Keating's  History. 
They  all  differ  materially,  so  that  it  seemed  desirable  to  print  them 
in  eztenso.  The  version  in  the  Edinburgh  ms.  xl  is  partly  illegible ; 
but  it  appears  to  be  identical  in  its  opening  with  that  of  the  Book  of 
Leinster. 

As  is  common  in  the  tradition  of  the  oldest  Irish  tales,  these  five 
manuscripts  either  represent  different  versions  of  various  ages,  or 
attempts  to  bring  these  versions  into  harmony  with  each  other.  We 
can  distinguish  the  following  three  different  accounts  of  the  events 
which  led  to  Conchobar's  death. 

Once  when  the  men  of  Ulster  were  at  a  gathering,  the  sun 
was  darkened  and  the  moon  turned  into  the  colour  of  blood.  On 
Conchobar's  question  as  to  the  cause  of  this  disturbance,  the  druid 
Cathbad  tells  the  story  of  the  Crucifixion,  dwelling  on  the  fact 
that  Conchobar  and  Christ  were  born  on  the  same  night.  Compare  the 
Compert  Conchobuir,  "Revue  Celtique,"  vi.,  p.  180.  This  is  the  account 
contained  in  the  third  version  of  the  Liber  Flavus  Fergasiorum  (§4). 
Slight  variants  of  this  version  are  to  be  found  in  the  account  of  the 
Book  of  Leinster  (§11),  where  an  earthquake  takes  the  place  of  the 
eclipse  of  the  sun,  and  where  the  druid' s  name  is  not  mentioned,  and 
in  the  Edinburgh  account  (§11),  in  which  Conchobar  addresses  his 
question  to  all  his  druids. 

A  second  version  places  the  gathering  at  Muirthemne.  There, 
on  a  certain  day,  Bachrach,  a  Leinster  poet,  arrives  from  abroad,1  and 
on  the  question  for  news  tells  the  story  of  the  Crucifixion  which  he 


1  The  manuscript,  indeed,  says  (Lib.  Flav.,  §  1)  that  he  came  from  Leinster, 
though  it  makes  Conchobar  ask  him  for  news  of  Alba  (i.e.  Great  Britain)  and  Leth 
Moga  (the  southern  half  of  Ireland),  for  which  Me  should  unquestionably  read  Letha 
(i.e.  the  Continent).  For  from  meaning  either  '  Latium'  or  '  Brittany,'  Letha  has 
practically  come  to  denote  the  Continent. 


THE  DEATH  OF  CONCHOBAR  3 

has  heard  on  the  Continent  or  in  Great  Britain.  This  is  the  account 
given  most  fully  in  the  first  version  of  the  Liber  Flavm  (§1), 
mentioned  briefly  in  the  Stowe  manuscript  (§1),  and  given  as  a 
variant   in  the  Book  of  Leinster  (§  13). 

In  a  third  version,  the  Roman  consul  Altus  visits  Conchobar,  either 
with  presents  from  Tiberius  (23.  N.  10,  §  1,  and  Liber  Flavm,  §  2), 
or  to  exact  tribute  for  Octavian  (Book  of  Leinster,  §  14),  and  being 
himself  a  Christian,  relates  the  stoiy  of  the  Crucifixion. 

All  versions  end  very  nearly  alike;  only  the  account  in  the 
Book  of  Leinster  breaks  off  shortly  without  mentioning  Conchobar's 
death.  The  other  versions  say  that  Conchobar's  pity  roused  him  to 
fury  ;  he  uttered  a  rhetoric  beginning  '  Ba  aprainn,'  seized  his  weapons, 
and  rushed  madly  about,  either  as  far  as  the  sea  (Lib.  Flav.,  §  4)  or 
cutting  down  the  wood  on  Lettir  Lámraige  (Edinburgh  and  Stowe 
version) ;  Mesgegra's  brain  starts  out  of  his  head,  and  he  dies  a 
Christian,  the  blood  gushing  from  his  head  being  his  baptism. 

Two  late  versions — those  in  the  Edinburgh  and  in  the  Stowe 
manuscripts— add  the  further  history  of  Mesgegra's  brain,  the  existence 
of  which  is  revealed  by  God  to  Buite  mac  Brónaig,  abbot  of 
Monasterboice  (f  ca.  a.d.  520),  who  uses  it  as  a  pillow,  whence  it  is 
known  by  the  name  of  adart  Buiti.  In  support  of  this,  the  Stowe 
version  quotes  a  poem  by  Cináed  húa  Hartacáin,  a  poet  who  died  in 
a.d.  975,  another  copy  of  which  may  be  foand  in  the  Book  of  Leinster, 
p.  150  a,  1.  26. 

Lastly,  in  the  Edinburgh  version,  the  incident  of  Cenn  Berraide, 
who,  in  all  other  accounts,  carried  the  king  on  his  back  after  he  had 
been  wounded  by  Cet  at  the  Ford  of  Daire  Dá  Báeth,  is  shifted  and 
added  on  at  the  end,  where  it  is  quite  out  of  place. 


(     4      ) 

AIDED  CHONCHOBUIR 

Version  A 

From  the  Book  of  Leinster,  p.  123i,  and  the  Edinburgh  ms.  xl,  p.  2. 

1.  Bái  mesca  mór  for  TJlto  fecht  n-and  i  nEmain  Macha.  Do- 
curidar  áidiu  immarbága  mora  7  comrama  eturro  .i.  etir  Chonall  7 
Coinculaind  7  Loegaire.  '  Tucaid  dam-sa '  ar  Conall  '  inchind 
Me[i]ssgegra  co  ro-acilliur  ócu  na  comram.' l  Ba  bes  d'  Ultaib  ind 
inbaid  sin  each  curaid  nomarbdais  ar  galaib  SenFir  nogatta  a  n-inchind 
assa  cendaib  7  commesct[h]a  ael  airthib  co  ndenad  liathroite  crúade 
díb.  Ocu8  intan  nobítis  i  n-immarbáig  nó  chomramaib  dobertis  doib 
co  mbitis  inna  lámaib. 


2.  '  Maith,  a  Chonchobuir,'  ar  Conall, '  na  co  ndernat  5ic  na  comram 
écht  f5n  innas-[s]a  ar  galaib2  óinfir,  nídat  tualngi  comram  frim-sa.' 
'  Is  fir  ón,'  ar  Conchobur. 

3.  Doratad  larum  forsin  forud  fora  mbíd  dogrés  ind  inchind.  Luid 
each  a  lethi  arnabárach  dia  cluchiu.  Dolluid  dano  Cet  mac  Matach  do 
chúairt  ectra  la  TJlto.  Beist  ass  andsam  robói  i  nHérinn  in  Cet.  Ised 
dolluid-sirfe  dar  faidchi  na  hEmna  7  tri  láechcind  leis  do  Ultaib. 


4.  Intan  bátar  na  ónmite  'co  cluchiu  do  inchind  Me[i]sgegra, 
iBsed  atbert  ind  ónmit  fri  araile.  Rocluinedar  Cet  ani  sin.  Ethaid 
side  in  n-inchind  al-láim  indala  n-ái  7  berid  leiss,  5  rofitir  Cet  robói 
i  tarngere  do  Messgegra  a  digail  iarna  écaib.  Cach  cath  7  each  irga[l] 
nobid  do  Chonnachtaib  fri  TJlto  dobered  Cet  in  n-inchind  inna  chriss 
dÚ8  in  tetarthad  écht  n-amra  d'  Ultaib  do  marbad  di. 


1  cAoraram  Fes.  2  galaru  Fes. 


( « ) 


THE  DEATH  OF  CONCHOBAR 


Version  A 

1.  Once  upon  a  time  the  men  of  Ulster  were  greatly  intoxicated 
in  Emain  Macha.  Thence  there  arise  great  contentions  and 
comparison  of  trophies  between  them,  even  between  Conall  and 
Cuchulinn  and  Loegaire.  'Bring  me/  said  Conall,  'the  brain  of 
Mesgegra,  so  that  I  may  talk  to  the  competing  warriors.'  At  that  time 
it  was  a  custom  with  the  men  of  "Ulster  to  take  the  brains  out  of  the 
head  of  every  warrior  whom  they  slew  in  single  combat,  and  to  mix 
lime  with  them,  so  that  they  were  made  into  hard  balls.  And  when- 
ever they  were  in  contention  or  at  comparison  of  trophies,  these  were 
brought  to  them,  so  that  they  had  them  in  their  hands. 

2.  '  "Well,  0  Conchobar,'  said  Conall,  '  until  the  competing 
warriors  perform  a  deed  like  this  in  single  combat,  they  are  not 
capable  of  comparing  trophies  with  me.'  'That  is  true,'  said 
Conchobar. 

3.  Then  the  brain  was  put  upon  the  shelf  upon  which  it  was 
always  kept.  On  the  morrow  every  one  went  his  own  way  to  his 
sport.  Then  Cet,  the  son  of  Matu,  went  upon  a  round  of  adventures 
in  Ulster.  This  Cet  was  the  most  troublesome  pest  that  was  in 
Ireland.  This  is  the  way  he  went,  across  the  green  of  Emain,  having 
with  him  three  warriors'  heads  of  the  men  of  Ulster. 

4.  While  the  jesters  (of  Emain)  were  at  play  with  the  brain  of 
Mesgegra,  this  is  what  one  jester  said  to  the  other.  Cet  hears  that. 
He  snatches  the  brain  out  of  the  hand  of  one  of  them,  and  carries  it  off  ; 
for  he  knew  that  it  had  been  foretold  of  Mesgegra  that  he  would 
avenge  himself  after  his  death.  In  every  battle  and  in  every  combat 
which  the  men  of  Connaught  had  with  those  of  Ulster,  Cet  used  to  carry 
the  brain  in  his  girdle  to  see  whether  he  could  compass  a  famous  deed 
by  slaying  a  man  of  Ulster  with  it. 


6  AIDED  CHONCHOBUIR 

5.  Fecht  and  didiu  dolluid-seom  intí  Cet  sair  co  tuc  tánai  mbó  a 
Feraib  Ross.  Donarraid  i  n-Tarmóracht  XJlaid  ina  diaid.  Doriach- 
tatar  dano  Connachtai  dond  leith  aile  dia  thessarcain-seom.  Fecbair 
cath  eturro.  Dolluid  Conchubur  féin  issin  cath.  Conid  andsin 
gádatar  nina  Connacht  do  Conchobur  tuidecbt  for  leith  do  descin  a 
delba  dóib.  Fobíth  nl  rabi  for  talmatn  delb  duini  amail  deilb 
Conchobuir  .i.  etir  cbruth  7  deilb  7  dechelt,  etir  met  7  core  7  cu- 
trummae,  etir  rose  7  Folt  7  gile,  etir  gáis  7  álaig  7  erlabra,  etir  erriud 

7  áne  7  écosc,  etir  ami  7  immad  7  orddan,  etir  gnáis  7  gaisced  7 
chenél.  Nlrbo  lochtacb  tra  inti  Conchobur.  A  comairli  immorro  in 
Cbeit  rogabsat  na  mná  ailgis  do  Chonchobur.  Luid  Tarum  for  leth  a 
óinur  dia  descin  dona  mnáib. 


6.  Dolluid  Cet  immorro  co  mbúi  etir  na  mná  immedón.  Nos- 
indlethar  Cet  inchind  Mesgegra  isin  tábaill  7  nosteile  conidtarla  im- 
mullach  Conchobuir  co  mbátar  a  dá  trlan  inna  chind  7  co  torchair- 
seom  isa  cend1,  co  tarla  fri  lár2.  Focherddat  Ulaid  chuci3  conidrucsat 
5  Chet.  For  brú  Átha  Daire  Dá  Báeth  is  and  dorochair*  Conchobar. 
Atá  a  lige  and5  baile  i  torchair  7  corthe  fria  chend  7  corthe  fria 
chossa6. 

7.  Maidid  tra  for  Connachta7  co  Sciaig8  Aird  na  Con9.  Dobertar 
Ulaid  sair  doridisi10  co  Ath  Daire  Dá  Báeth.  '  Mo11  brith-se  ass ! '  ar 
Conchobur.  '  Dobér  ríge  nTJlad  do  neoch  nombéra  connici  mo  thech.' 
'  Notber-sa,'  ar  Cend  Berraide,  ar  a  gilla  fadéiú.  Dobm'-side  lomain 
imme  7  nombeir  for  a  muin  co  Arddachad  Slébe  Fuáit.  Maidid  a 
chride  isin  gillu.  Conid  de  sin  atá  '  ríge  Cind  Berraide  for  Vltaib '  .i. 
in  ri  for  a  muin  leth  ind  lái. 


8.  Conócbad  trá  in  debaid  ón  tráth  co  araile  dar  éis  in  rig.     Co 
ráimid12  for  Ulto  íarsin. 


1  Here  the  Edinburgh  ms.  becomes  legible.  2  roinie  a  talmain  Ed. 

3  reithit  na  fir  cuici  iarsin  Ed.  4  adorchair  Ed.  5  ata  a  lecht  ann  7  a 

ligi  Ed.  6  7  araili  fria  bonn  Ed.  7  srainter  Connacht  Ed.  9  sciaid  L. 

9  siar  add.  Ed.  10  maidid  diu  for  Ultu  soir  Ed.  "  From  here  to  the 


THE  DEATH  OF  CONCHOBAR  7 

5.  Once  then  Cet  went  eastwards  until  he  took  a  drove  of  cows  from 
the  men  of  the  Rosses.  The  men  of  Ulster  overtook  him  in  pursuit 
after  him.  Then  the  men  of  Connaught  came  up  from  the  other  side 
to  rescue  him.  A  tattle  is  fought  between  them.  Conchohar  himself 
went  into  the  battle.  And  it  was  then  that  the  women  of  Connaught 
begged  Conchobar  to  come  aside  so  that  they  might  see  his  shape. 
For  there  -was  not  on  earth  the  shape  of  a  human  being  like  the  shape 
of  Conchobar,  both  for  beauty  and  figure  and  dress,  for  size  and 
symmetry  and  proportion,  for  eye  and  hair  and  whiteness,  for  wisdom 
and  manners  and  eloquence,  for  raiment  and  nobleness  and  equipment, 
for  weapons  and  wealth  and  dignity,  for  bearing  and  valour  and  race. 
That  Conchobar  was  faultless  indeed.  However,  it  was  by  the  advice 
of  Cet  that  the  women  importuned  Conchobar.  Then  he  went  aside 
alone  to  be  seen  by  the  women. 

6.  Cet,  however,  went  until  he  was  in  the  midst  of  the  women. 
He  adjusts  the  brain  of  Mesgegra  in  the  sling,  and  throws  it  so  that  it 
hit  the  crown  of  Conchobar's  head,  so  that  two-thirds  of  it  entered 
his  head,  so  that  he  fell  upon  his  head  forward  to  the  ground.  The 
men  of  Ulster  ran  towards  him,  and  carried  him  off  from  Cet.  On 
the  brink  of  the  ford  of  Daire  Dá  Báetha  it  was  that  Conchobar  fell. 
His  grave  is  there  where  he  fell,  and  a  pillar-stone  at  his  head,  and 
another  at  his  feet. 

7.  The  men  of  Connaught  are  then  routed  to  See  Aird  na  Con.b 
The  men  of  Ulster  are  driven  eastwards  again  to  the  ford  of  Daire  Dá 
Báeth.  '  Let  me  be  carried  out  of  this  ! '  said  Conchobar.  '  I  shall 
give  the  kingship  of  Ulster  to  anyone  who  will  carry  me  as  far  as  my 
house.'  '  I  will  carry  thee,'  said  Cenn  Berraidec,  his  own  attendant. 
He  puts  a  cord  around  him,  and  carries  him  upon  his  back  to  Ard- 
achadd  of  the  Fews.  The  attendant's  heart  broke  within  him.  Hence 
is  the  saying  '  Cenn  Berraide's  kingship  over  Ulster,'  to  wit,  the  king 
upon  his  back  for  (only)  half  the  day. 

8.  However,  the  fight  was  kept  up  after  the  king  from  one  hour 
of  the  day  to  the  same  hour  on  the  next  day,  after  which  the  men  of 
Ulster  were  routed. 

end  of  the  §  Ed.  omits.  13  muigid  Ed. 

■  i.e.  '  the  Oakwood  of  the  two  foolish  ones,'  not  identified.  b  i.e.  'the 

Hawthorn  of  the  height  of  the  hound  (or  hounds),'  not  identified.      e  i.e.  '  Shorn- 
head.'  d  i.e.  'Highfield,'  near  Newtown  Hamilton,  Co.  Armagh. 


8  AIDED  CHONCHOBUIR 

9.  Doberar  tra  a  liaig  co  Conchobar  .i.  Fingen.  Iss  esicle  nofinnad 
ilon  dlaid  notbciged1  don  tig  in  lín  nobíd  i  ngalur  'sin  tig  ocus  cech 
galar  nobid  and.  '  Maith2,'  or  Fingen,  '  dia  taltar3  in  chloch  as  do 
ohind  biat  marb4  fo  cbétóir.  Mani  tuctbar  ass  imworro,  not-icfaind  7 
bid  athis  duit5.'     'Is  asso  dán'  ar  Ulaid  '  ind  athis  oldás6  a  éc-som.' 


10.  Ro-Iccad7  iarum  a  cbend8  7  rofúaged  co  snátb9  óir10,  ar  ba 
cumma  dath  fuilt  Conchobuir  7  datb  inn  óir.  Ocus  asbert  in  liaig 
fri  Conchobar  co  mbeth  i  fomtin  .i.  ar  ná  tísad  a  ferg  dó  7  ná  digsed 
for  ech  7  na  etraiged  mnai  [7  ná  rocaitbed  biad]  co  anfeta  7  ná  rethed.11 


11.  Robói  dawo12  isin  chuntabairt  sin  céin13  robo  beó  .i.  secbt 
mbliadna  7  nlrbo  engnamaid,  acht  a  airisium  inna  suidi  nammá  .i. 
naco  ciiala  Crist  do  cbrocbad  do  Iudaidib14.  Tánic  and  side15  crith  mór 
forsna  duli1G  7  rochrithnaig  nem  7  talam  la  met17  in  gníma  darónad 
and  18  .i.  ísu  Crist  mac  Dé  bí  do  chrocbad  cen  chinaid.19  '  Craet  so?  ' 
ar  Conchobur  fria  druid.  '  Cia  olc  mór  dognitber  isind  lathiu-ea 
indiú?'  'Is  fir  ón  ém,'  ar  in  drúi.  'Is  mór  in  gnim  sin,'  ar 
Concbobur.  *  In  fer  sin  d&no  '  ar  in  drúi  '  i  n-óenaidcbi  rogein  7 
rogenis-[s]iu  .i.  i  n-ocht  calde  ~Enair  cen  cop  inund  bliadain.'20 


12.  Is  andsin  rochreiti21  Conchobar.22  Ocus  issé  sin  indara  fer23 
rochreti24  do  Dia  i  nHérinn28  ria  tiachtain  creitmi  é  .i.  Morand26  in  fer 
aile.      '  Maith  tra,'  ar  Conchobar.21     '  Ba  hapraind  nadáil  cuardríg 

1  .i.  Fingin  eisidein  7  ise  trath  nofinded  in  [sic]  diaid  notiged  Ed.  2  tra 

add.  Ed.         3  tucthar  Ed.         4  asa  cend  in  cloch  bid  marb  Ed.  5  rohicfaither 

7  biaid  athais  do  Ed.  6  andas  Ed.  7  rohicad  Ed.  8  in  cenn  Ed.  s  snaithi 
Ed.  10  e  add.  Ed.,  omitting  tbe  rest  of  the  sentence.  n  co  mbeith  a  foiditin  .i. 
co  na  tisad  ferg  fai[r]  7  na  tiaad  for  ech  7  na  tisad  co  mnai  7  na  rocaithed  biad  co 
hanfeta  Ed.  12  om.  Ed.  13  in  cein  Ed.  14  acht  tairisim  ina  suidi 

amain  cusin  uair  rocrocbad  Crist  la  ludaidib  Ed.  15  annsin  Ed.  16  duilib 

Ed.  n  meit  Ed.  18  donither  isin  laithiu  si  aniu  Ed.  I9  d'  ludaidib 

amairserAa  Ed.       20  cid  so  ?  or  C.  fria  druidib  7  cia  gnim  mor  donither  annso  aniu  P 


THE  DEATH  OF  CONCHOBAR  9 

9.  In  the  meantime  his  physician  was  brought  to  Conchobar,  even 
Fingen.  'Tis  he  who  would  know  from  the  smoke  that  arose  from  a 
house  how  many  were  ill  in  the  house,  and  every  disease  that  was  in 
it.  '  Well,'  said  Fingen,  '  if  the  stone  is  taken  out  of  thy  head,  thou 
wilt  be  dead  forthwith.  If  it  is  not  taken  out,  however,  I  would 
heal  thee,  but  it  will  be  a  blemish  for  thee.'  'It  is  easier  for  us,' 
said  the  men  of  Ulster,  '  to  bear  the  blemish  than  his  death.' 

10.  His  head  was  then  healed;  and  it  was  stitched  with  thread  of 
gold,  for  the  colour  of  Conchobar's  hair  was  the  same  as  the  colour  of 
gold.  And  the  physician  said  to  Conchobar  that  he  should  be  on  his 
guard  lest  anger  should  come  on  him,  and  that  he  should  not  mount 
a  horse,  that  he  should  not  have  connexion  with  a  woman,  that  he 
should  not  eat  food  greedily,  and  that  he  should  not  run. 

1 1 .  In  that  doubtful  state,  then,  he  was  as  long  as  he  lived,  even 
seven  years  ;  and  he  was  not  capable  of  action,  but  remained  in  his 
seat  only,  until  he  heard  that  Christ  had  been  crucified  by  the  Jews. 
At  that  time  a  great  trembling  came  over  the  elements,  and  the 
heavens  and  the  earth  shook  with  the  enormity  of  the  deed  that 
was  then  done,  even  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God,  to  be 
crucified  without  guilt.  '  What  is  this  ? '  said  Conchobar  to  his 
druid.a  '  What  great  evil  is  being  done  on  this  day  ? '  '  That 
is  true,  indeed,'  said  the  druid  [who  then  tells  the  story  of  the 
Crucifixion].  '  Awful  is  that  deed,'  said  Conchobar.  '  That  man, 
now,'  said  the  druid,  '  was  born  in  the  same  night  in  which  thou 
wast  born,  even  on  the  eighth  before  the  calends  of  January,  though 
the  year  was  not  the  same.' 

12.  It  was  then  that  Conchobar  believed.  And  he  was  one  of  the 
two  men  that  had  believed  in  God  in  Ireland  before  the  coming  of  the 


Is  fir  or  na  druidi  is  gnim  mor  donither  and  .i.  Crist  mac  De  bi  do  chrochad  la 
Iudaidib  .i.  fer  rogena[ir]  a  comais  frit-si.  Bachrach  fili  do  Lagnib  ise  ro-indis 
do  Chonchobur  Crist  do  chrochad  Ed.  21  dochreit  Ed.  22  do  Christ  add.  Ed. 
23  toisech  add.  Ed.  21  dochreit  Ed.  !s  om.  Ed.  26  mac  Main  add.  Ed.  27  From  here 
to  the  end  Ed.  differs,  as  follows  :  '  Dofaetsat  mile  fer  n-armach  lim-sa  ac  tesarcain 
Christ.'  Roling  iarsin  'chum  a  di  gai  7  rusbertaig  co  tenn  gurromuigiter  ina  dorn 
7  rogab  iarum  a  chlaidem  ina  laim  7  rogab  don  csallid  uime  co  ndernaig  mag  don 


to  his  druids  Ed. 


10  AIDED  CHONCHOBUIR 

nar  nagg  aturnbeoir  irricht  chruadcburad  cichtis  cichtis  [sic]  mo  beoil. 
rowcichlais  crúas  mór  miled.  maidra  nitha  muáid  nimslóig  serbairlech. 
Bordnifed  soerchobair  la  Crist  coúgénaind.  gáir  báetb  baruléim  for  leth 
amlan  Chomdcd  lanscél  céchointir  crocbad  ríg  ba  moo  coirp  arí  ardrach 
adamrai.  tumcichtbe  ingním  itinol  tairisem  treóin  uasal  i  Coimded 
coimthecbt  cougnam  cáin  bé  la  Dia  dílgadach  dia  chobair.  cáin 
forlund  fóbenaind.  cáin  comlund  crothfmd  Crist  arnemthuir.  nipu 
scíth  ce  chéssaitís  coirp  chriad.  ciarbo  ar  Crist  cáid  cumacbtach  cia 
dú  dún  nadrocbem  rád  dúr  derchóinte  runortar  inarmen  mona  miad 
nadríg  roacbtmar  roncráidi  crocbad  Crist  ma  cbotócbaimmis  ba  hassu 
nadbemmis  iar  n-ardracb  écomnart  úasal  rí  rocés  croich  cruaid  ar 
dóine  digmaig  dia  ráith  ragaind-se  bás  achtu  flaith  for  leccaind  fochil 
n-éca  nabuni  nemthuir  necht  remiteised  dochoimrid  mo  chride  clúas 
in  ardrach  nguba  ar  mu  dia  indscib  nadríg  roacht  co  fír  fortacbt 
fritumthá  brón  báis  conatbiur  ar  omun  dom  dul  druib.  cen  dúlemaín 
dígail.' 

13.  Is  and  doringni  Conchobar  in  rethoric  se  dia  ro-innis  Bachrach 
drúi  de  Lagnib  do  Choncbobur  Crist  do  chrocbad,  dia  ra-iarfaig 
Conchobar :  '  Ciata  airde  ingantacha  so?'  7  c. 

14.  Nó  darao  co  mbad  é  Altus  in  consul  dodechaid  5  Ochtauín  do 
chungid  in  cblsa  co  Gasdelaib  no-innised  do  Choncbobur  Crist  do 
chrochad. 


caill  .i.  Mag  Lamr^i  a  Feraib  Rus  7  ised  atbert:  'is  &wlaid  so  do  digolatwH-si 
Crist  for  Iudaliu*  7  for  in  lucht  rochroch  he  da  roisind  iat.'  Lasin  fetrg  sinroling 
incinn  Miscegra  asa  cinn  co  tainic  a  incind  fein  fair  gurbo  marb  de  7  conid  aire  sin 
aderait  each  :  '  is  nemedac[h]  Conchobar  trit  an  durtacht  doroine  Conchobar.'  Ise 
in  dedenach  [deigach  ms.)  adubairt  Conchobar:  '  gidbe  nombera-sa  cin  tairisium 
fam  connuici  mo  tech,'  ar  se  (p.  3)  .  .  .  ardrigi  nUlad  nob  .  .  .  lam  uime  7  berith 
go  hArdacharf  tSlebi  Fuait  for  a  muin  .  .  .  isin  gilla  conid  [d]e  ata  rige  Ceinn 
Beriti  for  Ultaib  .i.  in  ri  for  a  muin  leth  in  lai.  Ro  foillsig  Dia  do  Búiti  mac 
Bronaigh  incind  Miscegra  conid  hi  is  adart  Buiti  aniu  7  is  nemedach  gach  aen  fora 
racha  incind  Miscegra  ic  dol  fria  has  7  ata  briathar  a  breth  fodes  a  Lagnib  7 
fortamlus  doib  iarsin.     Conid  hi  a[i]ded  Conchobair  connuici  sin. 


*  From  this  point  the  Edinburgh  version  continues  as  follows:  'A  thousand 
armed  men  shall  fall  by  me  in  the  rescue  of  Christ.'  Thereupon  he  sprang  towards 
his  two  lances  and  brandished  them  stoutly  so  that  they  broke  in  his  hand  ;  and 
then  he  took  his  sword  in  his  hand  and  attacked  the  wood  around  him  so  that  he 


THE  DEATH  OF  CONCHOBAR  11 

Faith,  Horann  being  the  other  man.     'Well,  now,'  said  Conchobar3, 
'it  is  a  pity,'  etc.b  .  .  .  'without  avenging  the  Creator.'" 


13.  This  rhetoric  Conchobar  made  when  Bachrach,  a  druid  of 
Leinster,  told  him  that  Christ  was  crucified,  when  Conchobar  asked : 
1  What  wonderful  signs  are  these  ? '  etc. 

14.  Or,  again,  it  may  have  been  Altus,  the  consul  who  had 
come  to  the  Gaels  from  Octavian  to  seek  the  tribute,  who  told 
Conchobar  that  Christ  was  crucified. 

made  a  plain  of  the  wood,  even  Mag  Lámraige  in  the  land  of  the  men  of  the  Rosses. 
And  he  said  this :  '  Tis  thus  I  should  avenge  Christ  upon  the  Jews  and  upon 
those  that  crucified  Him,  if  I  could  reach  them.'  Through  that  fury  the  brain  of 
Mesgegra  sprang  out  of  his  head  so  that  his  own  brains  came  upon  him,  so  that 
he  died  of  it.  And  hence  all  say :  '  A  dweller  in  Heaven  is  Conchobar  for  the 
wishd  which  he  has  uttered.'  This  is  the  last  thing  Conchobar  said,  '  Whoever 
would  carry  me  without  stopping  under  me  as  far  as  my  house,'  said  he,  'shall  have 
the  kingship  of  Ulster,'  &c.  [Here  follows  the  story  of  Cenn  Berraide,  as  above.] 
God  revealed  the  brain  of  Mesgegra  to  Buite  the  son  of  Bronach,  so  that  at  this 
day  it  is  Buite's  pillow  ;  and  everyone  upon  whom  the  brain  of  Mesgegra  goes  as 
he  goes  to  death  is  sure  of  Heaven.  And  there  Í3  a  saying  that  it  will  be  carried 
southward  into  Leinster,  and  that  thereafter  Leinster  will  have  superiority.  So 
this  is  the  Death  of  Conchobar  as  far  as  that. 

b  I  cannot  translate  the  rest  of  the  rhetoric. 

c  Read  cen  dúleman  digail. 

6  I  read  dittliracht  for  dnrtacht. 


12  AIDED  CHONCHOBUIR 

Version  B 

From  MS.  23.  N.  10  (R.I.A.),  P-  1   • 

1 .  Bái  Conchobar  mac  Nesai  f echtus  n-ann.  Atf et  do  Altus  crochad 
Crist.  Altus  immorro  is  hé  dothathaiged  co  clóemclódaib  sed  5  Tibir 
mac  Augaist  ri[g]  Roman  co  Conchobar  mac  Nesa.  Ar  ba  cuma  batar 
rechtairea  rig  Roman  in  n-aimsir  sin  for  medón  in  uetha  7  for  indsip 
fuinid  7  turcbálai,  co  mba  comderb  isin  mbit[h]  nach  sgel  n-airdirc 
forcumcad  ami. 

2.  Ba  derb  'diu  la  Conchobur  fon  n-innus  sin  in  crut[h]  forcua[i]d 
crochad  Crist.  Ar  atfet  do  Altus  ba  he  Crist  dorosai  nem  7  talmain 
7  is  airi  arfoit  colainn  ar  tathcreicc  in  cineda  dóenai.  Ba  cretmech 
Altus,  is  aire  atféd  cec[h]  mait[h]  im  crochad  Crist. 

3.  Cowcreid  Conchobur  do  Christ  7  is  iarum  asmbert  Conchobur 
rofestais  fir  in  betha  a  chumang  oc  cathugud  fri  hludaidi  croc[h]siti 
Crist,  ma  nubet[h]  hi  comfogus  do  Christ.     Is  de  ismbert  Conchubar  : 

'  Ba  haprainn  nandail  cuart  rig  narnaic  atum  fir  hi  richt  cróad- 
churad  cichtis  [mo  beoil]  cowciuchlis  [cruas]  mar  militha  maidm 
netho  móith  n-imdai  slúag  searbairkcA  soistnefeit  soircobwr  la  Crist 
congaib  geanam  gair  bait[h]  for  let[h]  enae  la»  Coimáid  ba  rolawscel 
cichoiwtir  crochat[h]  fir  ba  inmoo  mo  corp  canse  n-artrig  n-adamrai 
n-airerni  atumcichtse  gnim  fir  hi  tinol  tairisem  tmmuaisib  in  Coimded 
cháith  cumachtaigh  ca»  be  ein  lam  dee  ndilgodag  do  cobur  can  iorlonn 
foabeaba  rinw  each  comlann  croit[h]finn  la  Crist  arnenitir  ni  bu  scith 
cichestae  ar  Crist  cáth  cumachtoch  cid  dudamr  duw  dsrcóinti  din 
reil  rochuinem  nadnea  nderagam  .i.  digal  duir  choirp  crochsiti  rig 
dorearoosat1  ronort  inni  nu?raman  med  nadrig  roachta  mar  roncraide 
crocharf  Crist  ma  chutooccaibmis  atbelmais  ba  hasa  artrag  écomnart 
hóasal  ri  roces  croich  coirtar  doine  ndicmairc  diasait  noregainn  hi 
mbas  atumflait  for  leicib  fa  chel  necombaiwe  inmain  artrtun  do  comrath 
mo  chridea  cloas  imartrach  atgubai  arumeda  inscibi»  na  roacht  fir 
f urtacht  Crist  fritombró»  báis  cuadbair  airomun  airimud  tomdrub  cen 
duilom/m  digail.' 

I1  This  curious  form,  which  seems  to  mean  '  who  has  created  us,'  also  occurs  in 
Imram  Brain,  §  48  :  ónd  rig  dorearoasat. 
- 

9?- 


THE  DEATH  OF  CONCHOBAR  13 


Version  B 

1.  Once  upon  a  time  Altus  related  to  Conchobar  macNessa  the 
crucifixion  of  Christ.  Altus,  however,  used  to  visit  Conchobar 
with  exchanges  of  treasures  from  Tiberius,  the  son  of  Augustus 
the  Roman.  For  at  that  time  stewards  of  the  King  of  the  Romans 
were  equally  over  the  centre  of  the  world  and  over  the  islands  of  the 
west  and  east,  so  that  every  famous  story  that  would  happen  there 
was  equally  known  in  the  world. 

2.  Hence,  in  that  way,  the  manner  in  which  the  crucifixion  of 
Christ  happened  became  known  to  Conchobar.  For  Altus  told  him 
that  it  was"Christ  who  had  made  Heaven  and  earth,  and  that  to 
redeem  mankind  He  had  assumed  flesh.  Altus  was  a  believer.  'Tis 
therefore  he  told  every  good  thing  about  the  crucifixion  of  Christ. 

3.  Conchobar  believes  in  Christ ;  and  then  he  said  that  if  he  were 
near  Christ  the  men  of  the  world  would  know  what  he  could  do  in 
fighting  against  the  Jews  that  had  crucified  Christ.  Hence  Conchobar 
said  :  '  It  was  a  pity,'  &c.a  .  .  .  '  without  avenging  the  Creator.' 


1  cannot  translate  the  'rhetoric'  which  follows. 


14  AIDED  CHONCHOBUIR 

4.  Is  iar  sin  cotnoscrastwr  amail  bid  oc  techt  hi  roi  cathai  ar 
bclaip  Crist  co  sesceand  asa  c[h]inn  an  inc[h]inn  Meisgedra  7 
conidcbilt  ind  ar  sin.  Ised  isb<?r[at]  dee  iarum  is  e  cet-gentlide1 
docúid  hi  flait[h]  nimea,  fobit[h]  robad  bat[h~]ais  dó  ind  fuil 
donescmacA^2  7  rocreit  e  do  Christ.     Finit.     Amen. 


Version  C 

From  the  Liber  Flavus  Fergusiorum,  fo.  105  a  1. 

1.  [B]udh  dáil  m5r  la  hTJlltu  a  Muigh  Muirthui[m]ni.  Doluidh3 
iarum  Bochrach  fili  7  drai4  do  Loighnibh  docum  na  dála  iar  toidhicht 
do  a  Laighnibh  iar  foghluim  fili[d]echta.  Fiafraiges5  Concubur  scéla 
Alban  7  Leatha  Mogha  do. 

2.  '  Atd  sgel  mór  eimh '  ol  sé,  '  doronnadh  isin  bith  thoir  .i. 
crochad  righ  neimhi  7  talman  la  hlubhdaibh  7  is  e  rotirchansat  fáidhi 
7  draidhthi.  Do  ic  7  do  teasraguin  daini  an  domuin  do  phecadh 
Adhaim  dodeachaid  5  naemneimh  co  roet  coluinn  5  Muiri  oighinghin 
cen  láthair  freasguil,  cor'luidh6  a  crand  croichi  la  hludhaib  do  ice  an 
ceineoil  daenna.  Imon  caisc  docuaidh  uainn  7  atraacht  isin  treas  15 
iarna  césadh'  .i.  roinnis  dowo  Altus,  iss  é  tiged7  co  n-aitheasguibh  7  cu 
sédaibh  7  co  máinibh  5  Tibir  Sesair  Aughuist  righ  Roman  7  ó  rig  an 
domhuin  co  Concubur  [mac]  Neasa  do  Eamhuin  Macha.  Ar  ba  cuma 
badar  reachtuireadha  righ  an  domuin  isinn  aimsir  sin  for  meadhón 
an  beatha  7  a  n-innsibh  fuinidh8  greine  7  turgabala,  co  m[b]a 
comhderbh  isin  bith  uili  nach  sgel  airderc9  fosewmadh  ann. 


3.  Ba  derbh  le  Conchubhur   fón   innus  sin  an   cruth   forcúaidh 
crochadh  Crist.     Ar  ro-innis  Altus  dó  ba  he  Crist  dorinni10  neamh  7 

1  geit  riwsÍH  ms.     See  Version  B.  2  leg.  donesemart.      Cf .  ar  écnairc 

inna  fola  doescmart  erond,  Otia  11.,  p.  97,  §  30.  3  doluigh  ms  4  draigh  ms 

d 
5  fiabraidhws  ms         6  eorluigh  ms         7  tigi  ms        8  fuinigh  ms        9  airdcecA  ms 

10  dorinnidh  ms 


THE  DEATH  OF  CONCHOBAR  15 

4.  Thereupon  he  shook  himself(?)a  as  if  he  were  going  into  a 
battlefield  in  the  presence  of  Christ,  so  that  Mesgegra's  brain  jumped 
out  of  his  head,  and  then  he  died  there.  This  is  what  they  say,b 
that  he  was  the  first  pagan  who  went  into  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven, 
because  the  blood  which  he  had  shed  was  a  baptism  to  him,  and 
(because)  he  had  believed  in  Christ.     Finit.     Amen. 


Version  C 

1.  The  men  of  Ulster  were  holding  a  great  gathering  in  the  plain 
of  Murthemne.  Then  towards  the  gathering  came  Bochrach,  a  poet 
and  druid  of  the  men  of  Leinster,  having  come  out  of  Leinster  after 
learning  poetry.  Of  him  Conchobar  asked  tidings  of  Alba  and  Leth 
Moga.c 

2.  '  There  is  great  tidings  indeed,'  said  he,  '  which  have  happened 
in  the  eastern  world,  even  the  crucifying  of. the  King  of  Heaven 
and  Earth  by  the  Jews ;  and  He  it  is  whom  seers  and  druids  have 
prophesied.  To  save  and  to  rescue  the  men  of  the  world  from  the  sin 
of  Adam  He  came  from  holy  heaven ;  and  He  assumed  flesh  from  the 
Virgin  Mary  without  the  presence  of  mand ;  and  to  save  the  human 
race  He  went  upon  the  tree  of  the  cross  by  command  of  the  Jews. 
About  Easter  He  went  from  us  and  arose  on  the  third  day  after  His 
suffering,'  viz.,  Altus  also  had  told  this.  'Tis  he  who  used  to  come 
with  messages  and  with  treasures  and  precious  things  from  Tiberius 
Caesar  Augustus,  even  the  king  of  the  Romans,  and  the  king  of  the 
world,  to  Conchobar  son  of  Ness,  to  Emain  Macha.  For  at  that  time 
stewards  of  the  king  of  the  world  were  equally  over  the  centre  of 
the  world  and  in  the  islands  of  the  setting  and  rising  sun,  so  that 
every  famous  story  that  happened  was  equally  known  in  the  whole 
world. 

3.  In  that  way  the  manner  in  which  the  crucifixion  of  Christ 
happened  became  known  to  Conchobar.     For  Altus  told  him  that 

*  coinoscrastar,  3  sg.  deponent  preterite  of  con-oscraim  (con-od-scaraim) . 
b  The  Irish  is  corrupt  here.  c  See  above,  p.  2,  note.  d  cen  Uthair 

freasguil  =  cen  Idthair  ferdai,  Eriu  n.,  p.  198,  1.  16. 


10  AIDED  CHONCHOBUIR 

talumh.  Et  is  aire  arroet  colann  ó  Muiri  óigh  ar  taithcbreicb  an 
ceineoil  dsenna.  Ba  creidmbeach  dono  Altus  fein.  Is  aire  atfét 
arsgéla  Crist  co  maith.      Cowcreid  Concubur  a  Crist. 

4.  !No  is  amlaid  so  atcaemnacair  he. 

Budh1  Concubur  i  ndáil  7  maitbi  fer  nEirenn  uime  an  lá  rocrochadh 
Crist*.  Antan  dodechaidh  teimheal  forsin  ngrein  7  rosiii3  ésga  a  ndath 
fola  rofiarfaigh'1  Concubur  immorro  do  Catbbad5  dúss  cid  rombádar  na 
duile.  'Do  comhalta-sa,'  ar  se,  'in  fer  rogeanair  a  n-oenaidchi  frit, 
anosa  martar  docuirthi(?)  fair  7  doradadh  a  croicb6  be  7  isé  sin  cbanuid 
anni  sin.'  Atraigi  tratb  Concubur  suas  la  sodbuin7  7  gabaid  a  gaisgedh 
fair  7  atbert :  '  Is  é  sin  éimh'  ol  se,  '  mo  comalta-sa  7  mo  comáis  7 
is  e  rogeanair  a  n-senoidcbi  frium '  7  rogob  iarum  deargail  óta  sin  co 
ro-acht  isin  fairrgi  7  cur'luidb8  innti  conruigi  a  fiacuil.9  Is  oc  in 
deargail  iarum  rogobb  Concubur  an  laid10  si :  '  Ba  aprainn  na  bldhuil 
(o  bard  iar  n-éguibb  righ  '  7  rl. 


5.  Ocus  as  iarsin  asbert  Concubur:  '  Rofeasdais  fir  in  beatha  mo 
cumang  ac  catbugud  fri11  bludaidbibb12  tre  crocbad  Crist  dia  mbeinn 
a  comf  ogus  dó.'  Is  iarsin  attraacbt  7  rosgobb  forsin  deargail  cur'sceinn 
incinn  Mesgeagra13  as  a  cinn  7  conearbailt  Concubur  fochétóir. 
Conadh  [d]esin  adb«r[a]t  na  Gseidbil11  conadh  bé  Concubur  eet- 
geinntlide15  docóidb  docum  neimbi  a  nEirinn,  fobith  robo  baitbis  dó 
in  fuil  dobidg16  as[a]  cinn.  Et  as  annsin  rucadb  ainim  Concobuir  a 
n-if  rinn  gu  comraiced7  Crist  fiia18  ac  te :  uir19  na  broide  a  hif rinn,  co 
tuc  Crist  leis  anim  Concabair  docum  neimbi.     Finid. 


1  buidh  ms        -  rcr  ms        3  rosuigh  ms        i  rofiarfaidh  ms       6  Cathbaidh  ms 
11  croid  ms  "  soghuin  ms  8  curluigh  ms  9  oruigi  ms  10  laig  ms 

11  fítth  ms  u  hiughaidhbh  ms  13  Mesgeadhra  ms  u  ghsidhil  ms 


THE  DEATH  OF  CONCHOBAR  17 

it  was  Christ  who  had  made  Heaven  and  Earth,  and  that  He  had 
assumed  flesh  from  the  Virgin  Mary  for  the  sake  of  redeeming  the 
human  race.  Altus  himself,  however,  was  a  believer.  'Tis  therefore 
he  told  the  story  of  Christ  well,  and  Conchobar  believed  in  Christ. 

4.  Or  'tis  thus  it  happened. 

On  the  day  that  Christ  was  crucified,  Conchobar  was  at  a 
gathering,  and  the  nobles  of  the  men  of  Ireland  around  him.  Now 
when  darkness  came  upon  the  sun,  and  the  moon  turned  into  the 
colour  of  blood,  Conchobar  asked  of  Cathbad  what  ailed  the  elements. 
'Thy  own  foster-brother,'  said  he,  'He  who  was  born  on  the  same 
night  as  you,  is  now  undergoing  martyrdom  and  has  been  put  on  the 
cross,  and  that  is  what  this  portends.'  At  that  Conchobar  arises  and 
takes  his  weapons  upon  him,  and  he  said :  '  He  is  indeed  my  foster- 
brother  and  coeval,  and  'tis  He  that  was  born  in  the  same  night  with 
me,'  and  then  he  made  an  onslaught  from  thence  until  he  reached  the 
sea,  and  he  went  into  it  up  to  his  teeth.  'Tis  during  the  onslaught 
then  that  Conchobar  sang  this  lay :  '  'Twas  a  pity  that  the  Jews 
after  a  King's  death,'  &c. 

5.  And  thereupon  Conchobar  said :  '  The  men  of  the  world  would 
know  what  I  can  do  in  fighting  against  the  Jews  for  the  sake  of  the 
crucifixion  of  Christ,  if  J  were  near  Him.'  Then  he  rose  and  made 
the  onslaught,  until  Mesgegra's  brains  jumped  out  of  his  head,  so 
that  Conchobar  died  forthwith.  Hence  the  Gaels  say  that  Conchobar 
was  the  first  pagan  who  went  to  Heaven  in  Ireland,  for  the  blood  that 
sprang  out  of  his  head  was  a  baptism  to  him.  And  then  Conchobar's 
soul  was  taken  to  hell  until  Christ  encountered  her  as  He  brought 
the  captive  host  out  of  hell,  so  that  Christ  took  the  soul  of  Conchobar 
with  Him  to  Heaven.    Einit. 


15  geinntlighi  ms  l6  doluidgh  ms  17  comfraicead  ms  I8  fiiadha  hs 

This  spelling  of  the  disyllabic  fria  '  versus  earn '  is  evidently  intended  to  distinguish 
it  from  fria  '  to  his  (her,  its).'  19  leg.  tabairt  ? 


18  AIDED  CHONCHOBUIR 

Version  D 

From  the  Stowe  its.  D.  4.  2,  fo.  54  a  3. 

Incipit  do  oidhedh  Concubuir  mic  Nessa  annso  sis. 

1 .  Ceat  mac  Mádach  rotheilg  in  cloich  .i.  inchind  Miscedhra  rlgh 
Laighen  for  Concubur  hie  Ath  Dhaire  Dá  Bhaeth.  Finghen  fathliaig 
Concobuir  is  é  ná  roleig  in  cloich  do  thabairt  asa  chind.  Muma 
immorro  in  cerd  iss  é  dorat  cumdach  impe  ria  cenn  amuich.  Bacrach 
file  do  Laighnibh  ro-indis  do  Chonchubar  Crist  do  chrochad.  I  Maigh 
Lámrighe  atchúaidh  dó.  Is  annsin  dorochair  Concobar  ac  glanadh  in 
mhaighe.  Tri  traighthi  sechtmogat  ina  fot.  Coica  traiged  immorro 
i  fedh  Taidhg  nu'c  Céin,  ut  dixit  poeta  .i.  Flann  [Mainistrech]  : — 


C5ica  traighedh  tolaibh  tlacht         fa  sloghaib  sain[f]ear  srianbalec 
fad  in  airdrigh  inar'1  léir  gart2,      Taidhg  mic  Céin  ótáit  Cianacht. 


;  Concobur,  cloithech  a  celg,         mac  noit[h]ech  Nessa  niabdherg, 
airdrigh  Ulad,  rodlecht  de,        dia  ro[s]lecht  lerg  Lámraidhe. 
Ina  lecht,  ni  laimthi  liacc,         fúair  tri  traighthi  sechimogaV 

2.  Is  don  cloich  sin  romudaig3  Conchobur  rochan  in  fili : — 

1 A  chloch^thall  for  elaid4  úair         Buite  búain  maic  Bronaig  báin, 
ropsa5  mind  i  tressaib  tóir        dia  mba  i  cind6  maic  Nessa  nair. 

'  Ciapsat7  náma  dó  rot-chelt,8         secht  mbliadna  lána  rot-alt9 : 
dia  luid10  do  digail  Rig  recht,        is  and  fo-frith11  a  lecht  latt. 

'  Láech  frisralais  co  mbúaid12  chain         fuair  lat  loimm13  tonnaid 

iar  sin : 
for  mac  Cathbath,  cóinsit  fir,       dális  dig  di14  natlirach15  neim. 


1  leg.  'nar  -  In  margin    no  gairg  3  roniughaid  ms  4  elaigh  D 

4  robsat  D      ropsa  L  6  mbái  a  cind  D  :  ciapsam  D  8  rodotcelt  C 

9  roalt  D  10  doluidh  D  u  fonith  L  12  commaid  L 


THE  DEATH  OF  CONCHOBAR  19 

Version  D 

Incipit  of  the  tragic  death  of  Conchohar  son  of  Ness  here  below. 

1.  At  the  Ford  of  Daire  Dá  Báeth,  Cet  mac  Mágach  threw  the 
stone  at  Conchobar,  viz.,  the  brain  of  Mesgegra,  king  of  Leinster. 
Fingen,  the  wizard-leech  of  Conchobar,  'tis  he  who  would  not  let  the 
stone  be  taken  out  of  his  head.  Muma,  however,  the  artificer,  'tis  he 
who  put  a  cover  around  it  outside  his  head.  Bachrach,  a  Leinster 
poet,  told  Conchobar  that  Christ  had  been  crucified.  In  Mag  Lamraige 
he  told  it  to  him.  'Tis  there  Conchobar  fell  in  clearing  the  plain. 
Seventy-three  feet  was  his  length.  Fifty  feet,  however,  was  the 
length  of  Tadg  mac  Céin,  ut  dixit  poeta,  i.e.  Flann  Mainistrech  : — 

'  Fifty  feet,  with  abundance  of  delights,  among  hosts  of  strong- 
bridled  distinguished  men,  was  the  length  of  the  high-king  in  whom 
honour  was  conspicuous,  of  Tadg  mac  Céin,  from  whom  are  the 
Cianacht. 

;  Conchobar,  famous  was  his  guile,  Ness'  celebrated  son  of  ruddy 
beauty,  high-king  of  Ulster — he  deserved  it — by  whom  the  slope  of 
Lámraige  was  cut  down.  In  his  grave  .  .  .a  he  found  seventy-three 
feet.' 

2.  Of  that  stone  which  ruined  Conchobar  the  poetb  has  sung  :  — 

'  0  stone  yonder  upon  the  cold  tomb  of  ever-famous  Buite,  the 
blessed  son  of  Brónach,  thou  wast  a  diadem  in  battles  of  pursuit  while 
thou  wast  in  the  head  of  the  noble  son  of  Ness. 

'  Though  thou  wast  an  enemy  to  him,  he  hid  thee,  he  nourished 
thee  for  seven  full  years  :  when  he  went  to  avenge  the  King  of  laws, 
'tis  then  was  found  his  grave  through  thee. 

'  The  hero  whom  thou  didst  hit  victoriously  thereafter  found 
through  thee  a  draught  of  poison  :  to  the  son  of  Cathbad — men 
wailed — thou  didst  deal  a  drink  of  a  serpent's  venom. 

13  lorn  L      fuair  in  tonnaigh  D  u  dit  D  15  nathraig  L 


a  I  do  not  understand  ni  laimthi  liacc.  b  i.e.  Cináed  húa  Hartaeáin. 


20  AIDED  CHONCHOBUIR 

1  Neimneeh  dotuc1  Cet  an-dess         a  tress  ard  Ailbe  fria  aiss, 
cenn  rig  Emna  orgsi  leiss,         a  inchinn  Meis-gegra  glaiss. 

'  Dotarlaic2  dar  árach  Gad3         Cet  mac  Magach4  fri  gliaid  ngáeth5 
ón  muni  rofitir  each         co  Ath  ic6  Daire  Dá  Báeth. 

1  Scoiltis  dít,  ba  mór  in7  gnini,         mullach  in  rig  rígi  giall, 
ar  is  é  ba  ferr  do  láech       darsa  taitned  gáeth  is  grian. 

'  A  ndor-airngred8  duit  ót  áis,      mairg  Laignech  irraba9  gnáis, 
hir'  scarais10  frisin  rig  rain         co  rosfargbais11  i  ndáil12  báis. 

'  For  Lettir  Lámraigi  luimm        rotglallsat13  druing  na  flan  find, 
do11  gleó  frit  chomthacb  ba  gand     co  torchar16  and  assa  chinn. 

'  Fotroilsig16  Ri  rodelb  nem  do  mac  Bronaig  úas  brí17  Breg, 

i  ndún  daingen  i  n-rotail18         i  fail  ilar19  angel  ngel. 

'  0  chonattail  fritt  cen  brath         Buti  co  rath  rúamnai  cloth, 
tairnit  duit  in  tslúaig20  for   ruth21       co  rochlóemchlais22 

cruth,  a  chloch.    A. 

1  Inchind  Meiss-gegra  'sin  chath,        ropo  gleó  fri  demna23  troch, 
adart  Buti  co  tí  bráth       bud24  é  th'ainm  la  each,  a  chloch.   A.' 


FlMT. 


1  dothucc  D  2  dotharlaic  D  3  ruagh  D  4  Matach  L 

6  nglóed  L  c  om.  L  7  om.  L                  8  ann  dorighnedh  D  ; 

ndorairngered  L  9  mairg  a  lagnech  imba  L  10  ni  rascarais  L 

11  cofargbais  L  12  bain  add.  L  13  rogiallsat  D                14  dot  L 

15  torcair  D  >■  rothoillsidh  D  17  brig  D  ,8  inattail  L 

10  in  fail  hilliu  D  2n  in  sluagh  D  -l  rath  D  2-  o  rachloais  D 

23  delimit  L  2*  is  D 


THE  DEATH  OF  CONCHOBAR  21 

'  Venomous  from  the  south  Cet  brought  thee  upon  his  back  from 
the  noble  battle  of  Ailbe,  the  head  of  Emain's  king  thou  hast  wrecked 
thereby,  0  brain  of  the  youthful  Mesgegra. 

'  From  the  brake, — all  know  it, — to  the  Ford  at  Daire  Dá  Báeth, 
Cet  mac  Mágacha  sent  thee  in  violation  of  a  bond  from  him  for  a 
cunning  fight. 

'He  cleft  with  thee,  the  deed  was  great,  the  crown  of  the  king's 
head,  a  kingdom  of  hostages,  for  'tis  he  that  was  the  best  hero  on 
whom  wind  and  sun  would  shine. 

'  "What  was  foretold  thee  all  along,b  woe  to  the  Leinsterman0  in 
whose  company  thou  wast !  thou  'never  partedst  from  the  nobled 
king  until  thou  leftst  him  in  a  meeting  with  death. 

'  On  the  bare  slope  of  Lámraige  hosts  of  fair  bands  did  homage  to 
thee  :  thy  struggle  against  thy  comrade  was  rare,  until  thou  fellest 
there  out  of  his  head. 

'  The  King  who  has  shaped  Heaven  has  revealed  thee  to  the  son  of 
Brónach  above  Bri  Breg  ;  in  a  strong  fortress  in  which  he  slept,  where 
there  is  a  multitude  of  white  angels. 

'  Since  Bute  with  grace  of  fame  has  slept  on  thee  without 
treachery,  the  hosts  have  eagerly6  humbledf  themselves  to  thee,  until 
thou  changedst  colour,  0  stone ! 

'  The  brain  of  Mesgegra  in  the  battle,  it  was  a  fight  against  demons 
of  doomed  men;  "pillow  of  Bute,"  until  Doom  that  shall  be  thy 
name  with  every  one,  0  stone  !' 

Finit. 


a  On  this  form  of  the  name  see  the  notes.  b  For  this  meaning  of  the 

phrase  ót  áis  see  JEriu  n.,  p.  87.  c  i.e.  Mesgegra,  who  was  a  Leinster  King. 

d  ráin,  a  by-form  of  ran,  required  by  the  metre.  e  for  ruth,  lit.  '  a  running,' 

'  speedily.'  Ci.for  rith,  Imram  Brain,  n.,  p.  302,  §  5,  and  see  the  note,  ib.  p.  304. 
1  tairnit,  present  tense,  used,  as  in  German  and  French,  of  an  action  that  has 
been  going  on  for  some  time  and  continues  up  to  the  present. 


(     22     ) 

II.  AIDED  LOEGAIKI  BUADAIG 

Version  A 
From  the  Edinburgh  ms.  xl,  p.  8. 

1.  Cid  diatil  A[i]ded  Lóegairi  Búadaig  ? 

Nl  hansa.  Aed  mac  Ainninne  dochomraic  re  Mughain  (p.  9) 
Aitinchairchech  7  ben  Conchobair  in  Mugain1  sin.  Fili  Conchobair 
in  tAed.      Rofes  forro  a  mbeith  amlaid. 

2.  Iarsin  rohergabad  la  Conchobar  in  fili  7  rochuinnig2  in  fili 
comad  hi  a  a[i]ded  a  bádud3  7  ro  . .  .*  Conchobar  do  inni  sin  7  nobertha 
iarsin  dia  bádud  dochum  gach  locha  a  nÉrinn  7  nocanad  som  bricht 
forsan  usci,  go  mbenta  gach  traig  7  co  nach  bid  banna  ann,  co  ná  raibi 
a  nErinn  abann5  na  loch  nobáidfed,  co  ndechus  lais  do  Loch  Lái  a 
ndorus  tighe  [Lóegairi].  Eoféimid  som  in  bricht  forsin  loch.  Antan 
didiu  robás  ac  a  bádud,  as  ann  doriacht  rechtairi  Loegaire  asin  lis  amach. 
'  Fé  amai,  a  Lóegaire ! '  or  se,  '  ni  frith  a  nErinn  baile  a  mbait[e]a 
in  file  co  rainic  in  baili  si.'  Atracht  intí  Lóegaire  7  geibid  a  chlaidem 
ina  laim  7  ac  leim  dó  imach  benaid  a  mullach  imon  fordorus  go  rue  in 
leth  iartharach  do  cloia?»»  de,  co  mbói  sprethach  a  inchi[n]de  for  a 
brot  7  romarb  som  iardain  trichait  do  lucht  in  baiti  7  roelo  Aod  úatha 
7  atbath  Lóegairi  iartain.     Conid  hi  A[i]ded  Lóegairi  connuici  sin. 

Version  B 
From  mss.  23.  B.  21,  p.  176,  and  23.  G.  21,  p.  142  (R.I.A.). 
An  t-ádhbhar  fá  ttáinig  bás  Láoghaire  Bhuadhaig.6 
File  inwo  do  bhí  aig7  Conchubhur  dá  ngoirthidhe8  Aodha  mac 
Aininn  ;  7  do  ligheadh  air  Mhaghán  bean  Connchubhuir  é :  7  air  na 
Fionnachtain  sin  do  Chonchubhar  as  í  breith  rug  air  a  chur9  dá  bháthadh 
go  Loch  Laogh«?r*  [sic]  ;   7  tangadar  drong  ris  air  Fógradh  an  righe 
gusan  loch  dá  bháthadh  ;  7  air  na  Faicsin  sin  do  reachtaire  Laoghaire 
Bhuadhaigh  tit  go  Laoghaire  7  adúbhairt  nách  raibh  áit  a  nEirinn  ina 
mbáithfidhe  an  file  acht  ina  dhoras-sin ;  leis  sin  loingios   Laoghaire 
amach  7  tarla  fárdhorus  an  tighe  re  cúl  a  chinn  gur  bhris  a  seicne  7 
gur  fóireadh  an  file  leis,  7  éagas  fóin  air  an  láthair  sin  :  gonabh  i10  sin 
Crioch  Laoghaire. Bhuadhaigh. 

1  MagrtiH  •  lochoinnig  3  bad7  4  Two  or  three  letters  cut 

off  with  the  edge  of  the  page.     Read  either  dámair  or  item.  6  Perhaps  abt 

6  No  title  in  G  '  ag  G  »  goirthi  G  9  ccur  B  l0  gon  í  G 

■  CM;  &  "',]   fa 

■ 


(     23     ) 
II.  THE  DEATH  OF  LÓEGAIRE  BTJADACH 

Version  A 

1.  Whence  is  the  tragical  death  of  Lóegaire  the  Victorious  ?  Not 
hard  to  tell.  Aed  mac  Ainninne  cohabited  with  Mugain  of  the  Furzy 
Hair.a  She  was  the  wife  of  Conchobar ;  Aed  was  a  poet  of  Conchobar's. 
They  were  found  out. 

2.  Then  the  poet  was  seized  by  Conchobar's  command,  and  the 
poet  asked  that  his  death  might  be  drowning,  and  Conchobar  granted 
him  that ;  whereupon  he  was  taken  to  be  drowned  to  every  lake  in 
Ireland ;  and  he  would  sing  a  spell  upon  the  water  so  that  it  ebbed 
away  until  there  was  not  a  drop  in  itb,  so  that  there  was  not  in  Ireland 
any  river  or  lake  that  would  drown  him,  until  they  came  with  him  to 
Loch  Lai  in  front  of  Lóegaire's  house.  He  was  unable  to  work  the 
spell  upon  the  lake.  However,  while  they  were  engaged  in  drowning 
him,  Lóegaire's  steward  came  out  of  the  liss.  '  "Woe  is  me,  Lóegaire  ! ' 
he  cried.  '  They  could  not  find  in  all  Ireland  a  place  in  which  to 
drown  a  poet  till  they  came  to  this  stead.'  Lóegaire  arose  and  took 
his  sword  in  his  hand ;  and  as  he  was  leaping  forth  he  strikes  the 
crown  of  his  head  against  the  lintel  of  the  door,  so  that  it  took  off  the 
hinder  part  of  bis  skull,  and  his  brains  were  scattered  over  his  cloak. 
And  thereupon  he  slew  thirty  of  the  drowners,  and  Aed  escaped  from 
them.    And  then  Lóegaire  died.    So  far  the  Tragical  Death  of  Lóegaire. 


1  Aitten-chairchech,    rtiore   usually   called    Aitten-chaithrech,   and  corruptly 
Etan-chaithrech.     As  to  the  exact  meaning  see  Eriu  i.,  p.  117,  note  b. 

l-Tbis  would  appear  to  be  the  sense  ;  but^o  mbentagach  tráig  is  obscure  to  me. 


(     24     ) 

III.  AIDED  CHELTCHAIR  MAIC  UTHECHAIR 
From  the  Edinburgh  ms.  lx,  p.  9,  and  the  Book  of  Leinster,  p.  118«. 

1 .  Cid  diatá  Aided  Cheltchair  maie  TJthechair  ? 

Ni  hansa.  Fer  amra  robúi  de  Ultaib1  .i.  Blái  briuga.  Secht 
n-airgeda  leis.2  Secht  fichit  bó  cecha  airgi  7  seisred3  cecha  airgi. 
Tech  n-óiged2  .  .  .  .  Ba  geiss  dó4  dano2  ben  for  damrud  dia  thig5  cen 
feiss  dó-som6  le,  meni  beth  a  fer  ina  fochair.  Doluid  didiu6  Brig 
Brethach  ben  Cheltchair7  dia  thig-som.8  '  Ni  maith  a  ndoronais,9  a 
ben,'  ar  Blái  briuga.  '  Is  geiss  dam-sa  do  thuidecht  chucum10  &mal 
táncflí's.'  '  Is  fer  trúag,'  ar  in  ben,11  '  loites12  a  gessi  féin.'13  '  Is  fir. 
Isim  senóir-si  7  acum  gressacht  atái  dano,'14  ar  se.  Fóid  lee15  in 
aidchi  sin. 


2.  Dofitir  Celtchar  inni  sin  7  doluid  for  iarair  a  mná.16  Luid 
Blái  briuga  co  mbái  for  lethláim  Conchobair  isin  rigthig.11  Luid 
dano  Celtchar  ina  diaid  co  mbói  for  lár  in  rigthige.18  Is  and  robái 
Conchobar  7  Cúchulaind  ac  imirfc  fidchille  7  robái  bruinne  Blai  briugad 
tarsin  fidchill  etarru  7  clannaid  Celtchar  in  gái  trit  co  mbái  isin  cleith 
iarna  cúl,  co  táinic  banna  do  rind  in  gái  co  mbái  forsin  fidchill. 


3.  '  Amin,  a  Chúchulaind!'  ar  Conchobar.  '  Amin  dano19,  a  Chon- 
chobair!'  ar  Cúchulaind.  Toimsit[h]er20  in  fidchell  ón  banna  anunn  7 
illeJ1  dús  cia  dib  diarbo  foicsi22.  Foicsi  in  banna  dano23  do  Chonchobur 
7  rob  siadi  co  dígail24  iarsin.  Atbath  immorro25  Blai  briuga.  Atrulla26 
Celtchar  co  mbúi  isna  Déisib  Muman  tess27. 


1  fer  amra  do  Ultaib  E  2  om.  E  3  seisr  E  4  dosom  E 

6  dochom  [a  thige]  L  6  om.  E        7  tor  oi  [gidecht]  add.  E  8  dochum  a 

thaig[e]  L  9  aderaus  E  10  thecht  cucwm  E  n  ar  in  ben  om.  E 

12  goittes  L  "a  geis  for  mnai  E  14  om.  E  16  7  ítádid  le  E 

16  dolluid  side  diarra  na  mna  L  17  co  mbai  etir  Chonchobur  .  .  .  in  c. 

Batar  .  .  .  desciurd  ó  Emuin  Macha  L  18  co  [m]bui  i  comf[ocus]  .  .  .  L 


(    25     ) 


III.  THE  DEATH  OF  CELTCHAR  MAC  UTHECHAIR 

1 .  "Whence  is  the  tragical  death  of  Celtchar  mac  Uthechair  ?  Not 
hard  to  tell.  There  was  a  famous  man  of  the  men  of  Ulster,  even 
Blái  the  Hospitaller.  He  owned  seven  herds  of  cattle,  seven  score 
kine  in  each  herd,  and  a  plough-team  with  each  herd.  He  also  kept 
a  guest-house.  Now  it  was  a  geis  for  him  that  a  woman  should 
come  in  a  company  to  his  house  without  his  sleeping  with  her, 
unless  her  husband  were  in  her  company.  Then  Brig  Brethach,  wife 
of  Celtchar,  went  to  his  house.  '  Not  good  is  what  thou  hast  done, 
woman,'  said  Blái  the  Hospitaller.  '  Thy  coming  to  me  as  thou  hast 
come  is  a  geis  to  me.'  '  It  is  a  wretched  man,'  said  the  woman,  'that 
violates  his  own  gessa.'  '  Tis  true.  I  am  an  old  man,  and  more- 
over thou  art  inciting  me,'  said  he.   "That  night  he  sleeps  with  her. 

2.  Celtchar  came  to  know  that ;  and  he  went  to  seek  his  wife. 
Blái  the  Hospitaller  went  until  he  was  by  the  side  of  Conchobar  in  the 
royal  house.  Celtchar  also  went  until  he  was  on  the  floor  of  the  royal 
house.     There  were  Conchobar  and  Cúchulinn  playing  a  game   of 

Jidchett;  and  Blái  the  Hospitaller's  chest  was  over  the  play-board 
between  them.  And  Celtchar  plants  a  spear  through  him  so  that  it 
stuck  in  the  wattle  of  the  wall  behind  him,  so  that  a  drop  (of  blood) 
from  the  point  of  the  spear  fell  upon  the  board. 

3.  '  Forsooth,  Cúchulinn ! '  said  Conchobar.  '  Indeed,  then, 
Conchobar ! '  said  Cúchulinn.  The  board  is  measured  from  the  drop 
hither  and  thither  to  know  to  which  of  them  it  was  nearer.  Now 
the  drop  was  nearer  to  Conchobar,  and  it  was  the  longer  till  revenge/ 
Blái  the  Hospitaller,  however,  died. 

Celtchar  escaped  until  he  was  in  the  land  of  the  Déisi  of  Munster 
in  the  south. b 


om.  E  20  foimistw  E     rottomsed  L  21  alle  E     ille  7  inund  L 

cia  da  bad  faicsi  E  23  om.  E  3*  siad  cosin  die  ...  L  25  tra  L 

7  docuaid  E  27  aness  E 


a  i.e.,  I  suppose,  Cuchulinn  would  have  avenged  the  deed  on  the  spot.     b  Now 
the  two  baronies  of  Deeies  in  Co.  Waterford. 


26  AIDED  CHELTCHAIR  MAIC  UTHECHAIR 

4.  'Is  olc  so,  a  Chonchobair! '  ar  Ulaid.  •  la  toitim  Déisi  annso. 
Ropo  lór  in  fer  marb  diar  n-esbudl  7  ticed'  Celtchar2  da  tir,'  ar  Ulaid. 
1  Ticed  dawo3,'  ar  Conchobar,  '  7  eirged4  a  mac  for  a  cend  7  téiged 
i  commairge  fris5.'  Ni8  gebtha  dono  cin  ind  athar  forsin7  mac  iná8 
cin  in  maic  forsin  atbair  ac  Ultaib  in  tan  sin.  Luid  sidein  áidiu  dia 
gairm9  co  mbói  thess10. 


5.  '  Cid  dia  tutc[h]aidh,  a  macáin  ?'  or  se.  '  Condigid  siumh  (sic) 
don  tir,'  uar  in  gilla.  '  Cisse  comairce  dotaot  frim?'  ol  sé.  '  Misi,'  ol 
in  gilla.  '  Fir,'  ol  sé.  '  Is  séimh  in  muin  doberat11  Ulaid  umraum-sa 
techt  for  muin  mo  mic'  •  Bid  séimb  a  ainm  7  ainm  a  cheneoil1',' 
ar  in  drúi.     '  An-sa,  a  gilla!'  for  sé,  '  7  ragat-sa  anunn13.' 

6.  Dogníther  ón  7  is  de  atá  Semuine  isna  Déisib. 

7.  Isí  immorro11  éraicc  conattecht15  im  Blái  briugaid,  na  tri  fochaide 
ata  annsom16  doticfad17  la  Ultu  [ina]  remes18  do  dingbáil  díb. 

8.  Doluid  didiu  Congancbnes  mac  Dedad  do  digail  a  brátbar  for 
Ultu  .i.  Cúrúi19  mac  Daire  maic  Dedad.  RoFásaigestar  Ultu  co  mór20. 
Níngeibtis21  gái  nó  chlaidib,  acht  noscendis  ass  amal  de  chongnu*2. 

9.  '  Dingaib  din  in  fochaid  seo23,  a  Cheltchair!'  ar  Conchobar. 
'  Maith  ám,'  ar  Celtchar,  7  luid  dia  acallaim  in  Chonganchnis  laa 
n-óenM  co  tard  muin  uime,25  gur  gell  a  ingin  dó  .i.  Niab26  ingen 
Cheltchair  7  proind  céit  cecha  nóna  dia  tairiuc.  Co  tard27  in  ben 
bréic  uime  co  n-epert  fris:  '  Innis  dam-sa,'  ar  si,  'amal  marbthar 
tú28.'    '  Bera  derga  iarnaidi  do  tapairtim29  bonnaib  7  tria  mo  luirgnib.' 


1  et  as  lor  aoinf  er  do  esbaid  oirn  E  2  tabhartar  Cealtchair  E  3  di»o  E 

4  eirchirf  E  5  bi  a  comairci  fair  E  6  ni  tei  .  .  .  L  7  for  in  L 

forsan  E  8  no  L  9  di  gairm  Cheltchair  L    dá  ghair  E  10  aneas  E 

11  doberait  E  12  chini  E  13  om.  L  u  tra  L  15  conaitcírf  E 

16  annso  L  17  tic  ...  L  18  ina  remes  om.  E  l9  Conrui  E 

20  Ulto  commor  L  21  ni  gapdis  ...  he  E  22  noscingtis  de  amal  bid 

codna  nobendais  E  23  sin  E  24  laa  and  E  25  tarad  breit  (leg. 


THE  DEATH  OF  CELTCHAR  MAC  UTHECHAIR      27 

4.  '  This  is  bad,  0  Conchobar ! '  said  the  men  of  Ulster.     '  This 
means  the  ruin^f  the  Déisi.     It  was  enough  that  we  should  lose  the    zh*> 
man  who  has  died,  and  let  Celtchar  come  (back)  to  his  land,'  said  the 

men  of  Ulster.  '  Let  him  come,  then,'  said  Conchobar  ;  '  and  let  his 
son  go  for  him,  and  let  him  be  his  safeguard.'  At  that  time  with  the 
men  of  Ulster  a  father's  crime  was  not  laid  upon  his  son,  nor  a  son's 
crime  upon  the  father.  So  he  went  to  summon  him  until  he  was  in 
the  south. 

5.  '  Wherefore  hast  thou  come,  my  son?'  said  Celtchar.  '  That  thou 
mayst  come  to  thy  land,'  said  the  lad.  '  What  is  my  safeguard  ? ' 
'  I,'  said  the  lad.  '  True,'  said  he.  '  Subtle  is  the  treachery  which 
the  men  of  Ulster  practise  upon  me,  that  I  should  go  on  my  son's 
guarantee.'  '  Subtle  shall  be  his  name  and  the  name  of  his  offspring,' 
said  the  druid.    '  Wait,  lad,'  said  Celtchar,  '  and  I  will  go  (with  thee).' 

6.  This  is  done,  and  hence  is  Semuinea  in  the  land  of  the 
Déisi. 

7.  However,  this  is  the  fine  which  was  demanded  for  Blái  the 
Hospitaller,  to  free  them  from  the  three  worst  pests  that  would  come 
into  Ulster  in  his  time. 

8.  Then  Conganchnesb  mac  Dedad  went  to  avenge  his  brother, 
even  Curoi  son  of  Daire  mac  Dedad,  upon  the  men  of  Ulster. 
He  devastated  Ulster  greatly.  Spears  or  swords  hurt  him  not,  but 
sprang  from  him  as  from  horn. 

9.  '  Free  us  from  this  pest,  0  Celtchar ! '  said  Conchobar.  '  Surely 
I  will,'  said  Celtchar.  And  on  a  certain  day  he  went  to  converse 
with  the  Horny-skin  so  that  he  beguiled  him,  promising  to  him  his 
daughter,  even  Niam  daughter  of  Celtchar,  as  well  as  a  dinner  for 
a  hundred  every  afternoon  to  be  supplied  to  him.  Then  the  woman 
beguiled  him,  saying  to  him :  '  Tell  me,'  she  said,  •  how  you  may  be 
killed.'     'Red-hot  iron  spits  have  to  be   thrust  into   my  soles  and 


breic)  frise  L  26  Niam  E  27  co  tarat  L  28  co  n-erbairt  frie  in 

n-innas  no  niair  .  .  .  L  29  [bera]  iairn  it  eat  derga  tri  .  .  .     Here  the 

fragment  in  L  ends. 


a  A  tribal  territory  of  the  Déssi,  so  called,  according  to  the  '  Expulsion  of  the 
Déssi'  (p.  122),  from  Semon  mac  Oenguso  maic  Celtchair  maic  Uithecbair. 
b  i.e.  Horn-skin. 


28  AIDED  CHELTCHAIR  MAIC  UTHECHAIR 

Co  n-epert  si1  riana  hathair  co  ndernta  dá  bir  mora  lais  7  co  tardta 
bricht  súain  fair  7  co  tarcumlad  slóg  mór  cuici.  7  dorónad  amlaid. 
Et  docóas  ar  a  tarr  co  tardad  na  beru  co  n-ordaib  ina  bonnaib  7  secbnóin 
a  smera  con  dorchair  lais,  co  tall  a  cend  de,  co  tardad  cam  for  a  cend 
,i.  cloch  cacha  fir  tánaic  ann. 


10.  Et  isi  fochaid  tánaise  iarsin  .i.  in  lucb  donn  .i.  cuilén  fúair 
raac  na  baintrebthaigi  a  cúas  omna  7  ronalt  an  bantrepach  co  mba 
naór.  Fadeoigh  dono  dofell  ar  cóercbu  na  bantrebtbaigi  7  romarb 
a  bú  7  a  mac  7  romarb  feisin  hi  féin  7  docóid  iarsin  co  Glenn  na 
Mórrauici.  Les  gacb  n-aidchi  nofásaighedh  la  TJltu  7  ina  cotlud  each 
dia.  'Dingaib  din,  a  Celtchair!'  ar  Concbobar,  7  téit  Celtchar  a 
iidbaid  co  tuc  cep  ferna  as  7  gur  ro-(p.  ll)clas  comfada  a  lama  7 
gur  roberbh  a  lusaib  tuthmara  7  a  mil  7  a  mbeoil  gur  bo  bog  righin. 
Téit  Celtchar  dochum  na  derca  a  cotlad  in  luch  dunn  7  g&baid  isin  derc 
moch  siu  tÍ8ad  in  luch  dond  iarsan  orcuin.  Tic  side  7  a  srón  a  n-airde 
la  tuth  in  croinn  7  leicid  Celtchar  in  crann  tarsan  derc  amach  cuici. 
G&baid  in  ckk  ina  beolu  co  tard  a  fiacla  inn  7  rolen  na  fiacla  isin 
maidi  righin.  Srengaid  Celtchar  in  crann  cuici  7  srengaid  in  chú  isin 
leth  anaill  7  doheir  Celtchar  a  láim  iarsin  cep  co  tard  a  chridi  tar  a  bel, 
co  raibi  ina  dorn  7  rue  a  cend  lais. 


11.  Ocus  in  lá  a  cinn  bliadna  iarsin  bátar  búachailH  a  taib  cairn 
Congoncnis,  co  cualadar  iachtad  na  cuilén  isin  cairn  7  rotochladar  in 
<;arn  7  fúaradar  tri  cuiléna  ann  .i.  cu  odur  7  cii  minbrec  7  cu  dub. 
Rucad  in  cu  minbrec  a  n-ascaid  do  Mac  Dáthó  do  Lai^nib  7  is  impi 
dotuit  sochaidi  do  feraib  Erenn  a  tig  Maic  Datho  7  Ailbi  ainm  na  con 
sin,  7  co  mad  do  Culand  cerda  dobert[h]a  in  chú  odur  7  in  chú  dub  Daol- 


erpí>'t  E 


THE  DEATH  OF  CELTCHAR  MAC  UTHECHAIR      29 

through  my  shins.'  Then  she  told  her  father  that  he  should  have 
two  large  spits  made,  and  a  sleeping  spell  put  upon  them,  and  that  he 
should  gather  a  large  host  to  himself.  And  so  it  was  done.  And 
they  went  on  their  bellies,  and  the  spears  were  thrust  into  his  soles 
with  sledge-hammers  and  right  through  his  marrow,  so  that  he  fell 
by  him.  And  Celtchar  cut  off  his  head,  over  which  a  cairn  was 
raised,  viz.  a  stone  was  placed  by  every  man  that  came  there. 

10.  And  this  is  the  second  pest,  even  the  Dun  Mouse,  viz.  a 
whelp  which  the  son  of  the  widow  had  found  in  the  hollow  of  an  oak, 
and  which  the  widow  had  reared  till  it  was  big.  At  last  then  it 
turned1  upon  the  sheep  of  the  widow ;  and  it  killed  her  kine,  and  her 
son,  and  killed  herself,  and  then  went  to  the  Glen  of  the  Great  Sow.b 
Every  night  it  would  devastate  a  liss  in  Ulster,  and  every  day  it 
lay  asleep.  '  Free  us  from  it,  0  Celtchar ! '  said  Conchobar.  And 
Celtchar  went  into  a  wood  and  brought  out  a  log  of  alder;  and  a 
hole  was  dug  in  it  as  long  as  his  arms,  and  he  boiled  it  in  fragrant 
herbs  and  in  honey  and  in  grease  until  it  was  soft  and  tough. 
Celtchar  went  towards  the  cave  in  which  the  Dun  Mouse  used  to- 
sleep,  and  he  enters  the  cave  early  before  the  Dun  Mouse  came  after 
the  slaughter.  It  came,  and  its  snout  raised  high  in  the  air  at  the 
smell  of  the  wood.  And  Celtchar  pushes  the  wood  out  through  the 
cave  towards  it.  The  hound  takes  it  in  his  jaws,  and  puts  his  teeth 
into  it,  and  the  teeth  clave  in  the  tough  wood.  Celtchar  pulls  the 
wood  towards  him ;  and  the  hound  pulls  at  the  other  side ;  and  Celtchar 
puts  his  arm  along  the  log  (inside)  and  took  its  heart  out  through  its 
jaws  so  that  he  had  it  in  his  hand.     And  he  took  its  head  with  him. 

1 1 .  And  that  day,  at  the  end  of  a  year  afterwards,  cow-herds  were 
by  the  side  of  the  cairn  of  Horny-skin,  and  heard  the  squealing  of 
whelps  in  the  cairn.  And  they  dug  up  the  cairn  and  found  three 
whelps  in  it,  viz.  a  dun  hound,  and  a  hound  with  small  spots,  and  a 
black  hound.  The  hound  with  the  small  spots  was  given  as  a  present 
to  Mac  Datho  of  Leinster ;  and  for  its  sake  multitudes  of  the  men 
of  Ireland  fell  in  the  house  of  Mac  Datho,  and  Ailbe  was  the  name 
of  that  hound.c      And  it  would  be   to  Culand  the  smith  that  the 


a  dofell  ar  evidently  stands   for  do-ell  for.     Cf.   doscii  forma   cethra  below. 
b  Not  identified.        c  See  the  story  of  Mac  Dáthó's  pig,  Hibernica  Minora,  p.  57. 


30  AIDED  CHELTCHAIR  MAIC  UTHECHAIR 

cú  Celtchair  feisin.  Ni  leiced  side  a  gabáil  do  duine  acht  do  Celtchar. 
Fecht  ann  ni  bai  Celtchar  abus  7  do  léiced  in  cú  amach  7  forféimditer1 
in  muinter  a  gabáil  7  dosái  forsna  cethra  7  forna  hindili  7  nomilled 
bi  gach  n-aidcbi  la  Ultu  fo  deoid.2 


12.  '  Dinguib  didiu  in  fochaid3  ut,  a  Celtchair!'  ar  Conchobar. 
Luid  Celtchar  dochum  in  glenna  'na  mbói  in  cú  7  cét  laoch  lais  7 
g&vrmid  in  coin  fo  thri,  co  facadar  in  coin  cucu  7  uosdirgenn  co 
Celtchar  co  mboi  ac  lige  a  cos.  '  Is  truag  ám  ann-dogni  an  cii,'  ar 
each.  '  Ni  biu-sa  fot  cinaid  ni  bus  mo,'  ar  Celtchar  7  atnaig  builli 
don  luin  Celtchair,  co  rue  a  cride  trithi  7  co  f  úair  [bás]  iarsin.  '  Fé 
amai ! '  ar  each.  '  As  fir,'  ar  se  la  tui'gbail  an  gai  súas,  gur  feimid 
broen  fola  d'fuil  na  con  cuici  ar  fut  an  gái  co  ndechaid  trit  co  talmain, 
co  mbo  marb  de.  7  rolaa[d]  a  gair  guil  7  rotogbad  a  lia  7  a  lecht  ann. 
Conid  hi  sin  Al~i]ded  Blái  Briugad  7  Congoncnis  7  Celtchair  maic 
Uithechair.     Finit. 


forfeimgitir  E  2  deoid  E  3  fochai.fi  E 


THE  DEATH  OF  CELTCHAR  MAC  UTHECHAIR      31 

dun  hound  was  given,  and  the  black  hound  was  Celtchar's  own 
Dóelchú.  It  let  no  man  take  hold  of  it  save  Celtchar.  Once  upon  a 
time  Celtchar  was  not  at  home,  and  the  hound  was  let  out,  and  the 
people  of  his  household  could  not  catch  it ;  and  it  turned  among  the 
cattle  and  the  flocks,  and  at  last  it  would  destroy  a  living  creature 
every  night  in  Ulster. 

12.  'Free  us  from  that  pest,  0  Celtchar!'  said  Conchobar. 
Celtchar  went  towards  the  glen  in  which  the  hound  was,  and  a 
hundred  warriors  with  him,  and  three  times  he  calls  the  hound  until 
they  saw  it  coming  towards  them,  making  straight  for  Celtchar  until 
it  was  licking  his  feet.  '  It  is  sad,  indeed,  what  the  hound  does,'  said 
all.  '  I  will  no  longer  be  incriminated  for  thy  sake  ! '  said  Celtchar, 
giving  it  a  blow  with  the  luin*  of  Celtchar,  so  that  he  brought  out  its 
heart,  whereupon  it  died.  '  Woe ! '  cried  everybody.  '  'Tis  true,' 
said  he,  as  he  raised  the  spear,  when  a  drop  of  the  hound's  blood 
ran  along  the  spear  and  went  through  him  to  the  ground,  so  that  he 
died  of  it.  And  his  lament  was  set  up  and  his  stone  and  tomb  were 
raised  there.  So  this  is  the  Tragical  Death  of  Blái  the  Hospitaller, 
and  of  Horny-skin,  and  of  Celtchar  the  son  of  TJthechar.     Finit. 


See  the  notes. 


(     32     ) 

IV.  AIDED  FERGUSA  MAIC  RÓICH 

From  the  Edinburgh  ms.  xl,  p.  5. 

1.  CID  DIATA  A[i]d*rf  Fergusa  maic  Roich? 

Ni  hansa.  Bui  Fergus  for  luinges  i  Connachtaib  iama  sarugud 
im  maccuib  \Jsnech,  uair  is  e  in  tree  eomairci  tucad  friu  7  Duhthach 
Doeltenga  7  Cormac  Conlonges  mac  Conchobair.  Bátar  do»o  uili 
tiar  forsan  loingis  co  cend  cethri  mbliadna  dec  7  ni  an  demo  gul  ná 
crith  leo  a  nUltaib,  acht  gul  7  crith  gach  n-oidhchi.  Is  e  romarb1 
Yinchraig  mac  Conchobair  7  is  e  romarb  Geirgi  mac  nllleda  7  as  é 
romarb1  Eogan  mac  Durthact.  Is  lais  tucad  in  tain2  .i.  la  Fergus. 
Mor  tra  do  grrimaib  dorine  slum  a  teglueh  Ailello  7  Media  7  ba  minca 
nobld  som  7  a  muinter  ar  fot  in  tire  cena  ná  isin  teglueh.  Tricha 
cet  rob  e  lin  na  loingsi  7  is  e  roba  fer  cumtha  dó-som  a  teglueh  Ailello 
.i.  Lugaid  Dailleigis  .i.  brd^air  do  Oilill  in  Lugaid  sin. 


2.  Bátar  ann  iar  ngnimaib  aeon  loch  ar  Mag  Ái.  Dunad  mór  leo 
.i.  cluichi3  7  ceti  ann.  Laa  n-aon  ann  dowo  luid  in  slog  uili  i[si]n  loch 
dia  fothrucad.  '  Erg  sis,  a  Fergus,'  ar  Ailill  '  7  báid  na  firu  ! '  '  Kit 
maith  a  n-usci,'  ar  Fergus.  Luid-som  sis  ar  ái  sin.  NIr  fulaing  a 
cridi  do  ^Leidb  co  ndechaí^  isin  loch.  M«r  docuaid  Fergus  isin  loch 
dorala  ana  mbui  do  grcnaig  7  do  clocMb  a  n-ichtar  an  loch[a]  co 
raibi  for  uachtar  uli.  Luid  Medb  didiu  co  raibi  for  a  bruindi-sium 
7  a  gabla  ime  7  co  taircell-som  in  loch  annsin  7  rogab  ét  Aib7/. 
Doluid  didi'w  suas  Medb. 


3.  'Is  alaind  a  ndogni4  an  dam,  a  Liigaid,  7  an  eilit  isin  loch,' 
ar  Ailill.  '  Cid  nach  gowtar  ? '  or  Lugaid  7  ni  tuc  urcor  n-imraill 
riam.       '  Teilg-su   dun   orchur   form!'   ar  Ailill.      '  Impó   m'agaid6 


1  romarb"  m>  2  antain  intnin  ms  3  cl-ti  ms  i  anndogni  ms 

mart"  MS 


(     33     ) 


IV.   THE  DEATH  OF  FERGUS  MAC  ROICH 


1.  Whence  is  the  tragical  death  of  Fergus  mac  Róich  ?  Not  hard 
to  tell. 

Fergus  was  in  exile  in  Connaught  after  his  honour  had  heen 
violated  in  the  matter  of  the  sons  of  Usnech ;  for  he  was  one  of 
the  three  guarantors  that  were  given  to  them,  the  other  two  heing 
Duhthach  Chafertongue  and  Cormac  Conlonges  the  son  of  Conchohar. 
These  were  all  in  exile  in  the  west  to  the  end  of  fourteen  years,  and 
(during  all  that  time)  wailing  and  trembling  in  Ulster  never  ceased 
through  them,a  but  there  were  wailing  and  trembling  every  night. 
'Tis  he  who  slew  Fiachra  the  son  of  Conchobar,  and  Gerg  the  son  of 
Illand,  and  Eogan  the  son  of  Durthacht.b  By  him,  even  Fergus,  the 
Táin  was  brought.  Many  deeds  he  did  while  in  the  household  of 
Ailill  and  Medb;  and  he  and  his  people  were  more  often  abroad  in  the 
land  than  in  Ailill's  household.  Three  thousand  was  the  number  of 
the  exiled  company;  and  his  comrade  in  Ailill's  household  was  Lugaid 
Dalléces,  to  wit,  a  brother  of  Ailill's  was  that  Lugaid. 

2.  Once  after  deeds  of  valour  they  were  by  the  lake0  on  Mag  Ai, 
where  they  had  a  large  encampment,  in  which  games  and  gatherings 
were  held.  Now  on  a  certain  day  the  whole  host  went  into  the  lake 
to  bathe.  '  Go  down,  0  Fergus,'  said  Ailill,  '  and  drown  the  men.' 
'  They  are  not  good  in  water, '  said  Fergus.  Nevertheless  he  went  down. 
Medb's  heart  could  not  bear  that,  so  that  she  went  into  the  lake.  As 
Fergus  entered  the  lake,  all  there  was  of  gravel  and  of  stones  at  the 
bottom  of  the  lake  came  to  the  surface.  Then  Medb  went  till  she 
was  on  the  breast  of  Fergus,  with  her  legs  entwined  around  him,  and 
then  he  swam  around  the  lake.  And  jealousy  seized  Ailill.  Then 
Medb  went  up. 

3.  '  It  is  delightful  what  the  hart  and  the  doe  are  doing  in  the  lake, 
0  Lugaid,'  said  Ailill.  'Why  not  kill  them?'  said  Lugaid,  who 
had  never  missed  his  aim.     '  Do  thou  have  a  cast  at  them !'    said 


a  i.e.  through  their  deeds  of  vengeance.  b  i.e.  the  murderer  of  the  sons 

of  Usnech.  c  i.e.  Findloch.     See  "Revue  Celtique,"  xxm.,  p.  338. 

TODD  LECTURE  SERIES,  VOL.  XIV.  D 


34  AIDED  FERGUSA  MAIC  ROICH 

cuctha,'  or  Lugaid,  '  7  tabraid  gái  dam.'  Robui  Fergus  aca  nige 
a8in  loch  7  a  bminni  fria  7  tucad  a  carpat  docum  Oilello  co  mbui  iua 
farrad  7  do  teilc  Lugaid  urcor  don  gái  co  mboi  triana  druim  siar 
sechtair1.  (p.  6)  '  Doriacht  an  t-urchur!'  ar  Lugaid.  'Is  fir  on,' 
ar  each,  '  atát  bruiwdi  Fergusa.' 

4.  '  Truag  sin,'  ar  Lugaid,  '  mo  chomalta  7  m'  fer  cumtha  do 
marbad  dam-sa  cin  cinaid.'  'Mo  carpat  dam-sa!'  ar  Ailill.  Teit 
in  slog  uili  for  teiched,  each  fer  a  leth  fri  tir  etir  luinges  7  Connachta. 
Gatat'd  Fergus2  an  gai  as  7  teilcid  a  ndiaid  Aúello  co  naechaid  tresin 
milco[i]n  bui  etir  dá  fertas  in  carpait.  Luid  Fergus  iarum  asin  loch 
7  nusdlrgenn  for6an  tulaig  a  taeib  in  locha  7  luid  a  anum  as  focetóir 
7  atá  a  lige  ann  fós.     Conid  hi  A[i]ded  Fergus[a]  connuici  sin. 


1  eecMduir  ms  2  Fergusa  ms 


THE  DEATH  OF  FERGUS  MAC  RÓICH  35 

Ailill.  '  Turn  my  face  towards  them ! '  said  Lugaid,  '  and  bring 
a  lance  to  me ! '  Fergus  was  washing  himself  in  the  lake,  and  his 
breast  was  towards  them.  And  his  chariot  is  brought  to  Ailill,  so  that 
it  was  near  him  ;  and  Lugaid  threw  the  lance,  so  that  it  passed  out 
through  his  back  behind.  'The  cast  has  gone  home!'  said  Lugaid. 
'  That  is  true,'  said  all;  '  it  is  the  enda  of  Fergus.' 

4.  'How  sad,'  said  Lugaid,  'if  I  should  have  killed  my  foster- 
brother  and  comrade  innocently.'  '  My  chariot  to  me !'  said  Ailill. 
All  the  host  began  to  flee,  each  man  towards  the  shore,  both  the 
exiled  and  the  men  of  Connaught.  Fergus  draws  out  the  lance  and 
hurls  it  after  Ailill,  so  that  it  passed  through  the  deerhound  which 
was  between  the  two  hind-shafts  of  the  chariot.  Thereupon  Fergus 
came  out  of  the  lake,  and  straightens  himself  out  upon  the  hill  by  the 
side  of  the  lake  ;  and  his  soul  passed  out  of  him  forthwith.  And  his 
grave  is  there  still.     So  this  is  the  tragical  Death  of  Fergus  so  far. 


a  There  is  here  an  untranslatable  play  on  the  word  bruinne,  which  means  both 
'breast '  and  '  end.' 


(     36     ) 


V.  AIDED  CHEIT  MAIC  MAGACH 

Version  A 

From  the  Edinburgh  ms.  xl.,  p.  7. 

1 .  Cid  diata  A[i]ded  Ceit  maic  MagacA  ? 
Ni  hama. 

Luidh  Cet  fecht  ann  a  crich  nUlad  do  chuinghi[d]  gona  duine, 
inni  ba  minic  lais  .i.  Vlaid  do  goin,  úair  ní  áechaid  asa  nóendin  nam 
[cen]  guin  Ultat^. 

2.  Luid  sium  siar  iarum  7  tri  nói1  cinn  do  Ultaib  lais  7  docuredh 
iarum  Conall  Cernach  for  a  lurg  co  Bréfni  Connacht.  Laad  snechta 
an  gemrid  do  sunnrai,  co  fúair  Conall  a  fástig  he  ac  fuine  a  chotach2 
7  a  ara.     Bátar  tra  na  eochu  f5n  carpat  amuich. 

3.  '  Is  e  Cet  so,'  ar  Conall,  '  7  ni  flu  dfiin  comrac  fris  ar  a  doilghi 
7  ar  a  cródacht.  Is  amnus  in  fer  fil  [and],'  ar  Conall.  Té  amai!T 
ol  in  t-ara,  '  ni  maith  tig  tar  do  be5lu,  in  peist  fil  for  digail  Ulad 
[cen]  gabáil  tige  fair  7  ni  meabal  tra  comtuitim  duit  fris,  oir  atá  dia 
beódacht3  connuicso.'  'A  athair,'  ar  Conall,  'ni  tibur  m'  anum  do 
láith  gaili  fer  nErenn  7  dober  tra  comartha  forsna  eochu.'  Gadaid 
Conall  dual  a  muing  na  n-eoch  7  Coheir  andlochtan  a  cinn  in  carpait 
7  téit  as  sair  co  hUltw. 


4.  '  Fé,  a  Ceit!'  ar  an  t-ara.  '  Ni  fS,'  ar  Cet,  'is  mait[h]  in 
t-anocw?  twc  for  na  heocha.  Conall  so,'  ar  Be,  '  7  biaid  c&r&di'ad  de  7 
bid  maith  he.'  'Eé  amae!'  or  in  t-ara,  '  in  fer  rolá  ár  Connacht  do 
tabairt  mela  fort  7  ni  toircéba  t'ainm  co  bráth  can  a  bás  nó  can  a 
Túacad  a  fescur.'  '  Maith  ám,'  ar  Cet.  Lotar  ina  diaid  co  hAt[h] 
Ceit. 


1  The  ms  has  the  ordinary  compendium  for  nó,  with  a  dot  or  small  i  over  it. 
a  acotach  ms  3  beogae^a  ms 


(     37     ) 

V.    THE  DEATH  OF  CET  MAC  MÁGACH 
Version  A 

1 .  Whence  is  the  Death  of  Cet  mac  Magach  ? 
Not  hard  to  tell. 

Once  upon  a  time  Cet  went  into  Ulster  to  seek  the  slaying  of  a 
man,  a  thing  he  often  did  (viz.,  to  slay  Ulstermen),  for  from  his 
childhood  he  never  went  without  the  slaughter  of  an  Ulsterman.3 

2.  So  he  went  westwards,  having  the  heads  of  thrice  nine  men  of 
Ulster  with  him.  And  Conall  Cernach  was  then  sent  upon  his  track 
to  Brefne  in  Connaught  (for  winter-snow  had  fallen),  until  in  an 
empty  house  he  found  him  and  his  charioteer  cooking  their  meal. 
The  horses,  however,  were  under  the  chariot  outside. 

3.  '  This  is  Cet,'  said  Conall,  '  and  it  is  not  fitting  for  us  to  fight 
with  him  on  account  of  his  ferocity  and  his  fierceness.  He  is  a 
savage  man,'  said  Conall.  '  "Woe  ! '  said  the  charioteer,  '  no  good 
comes  over  thy  lips,  not  to  storm  the  house  in  which  is  the  pest  that 
is  harrying  Ulster,  and  it  is  no  shame  for  thee  to  fall  in  combat 
together  with  him  ;  for  such  is  his  courage  until  now.'b  '  0  father,' 
said  Conall,  '  I  shall  not  give  my  life  to  any  hero  of  the  men  of 
Ireland  ;  but  I  shall  put  a  token  upon  the  horses.'  Conall  snatches  a 
lock  out  of  the  mane  of  the  horses,  and  puts  a  wisp  upon  the  front  of 
the  chariot,  and  goes  away  eastward  to  Ulster. 

4.  '  "Woe,  Cet ! '  said  the  charioteer. 

'  Not  woe,'  said  Cet.  '  It  is  well  that  he  has  spared  the  horses. 
This  is  Conall('s  doing),'  said  he,  '  and  from  this  there  shall  be 
friendship,  and  it  will  be  well.' 

'"Woe,'  said  the  charioteer,  'that  the  man  who  has  made  a 
slaughter  of  the  men  of  Connaught  should  put  disgrace  upon  thee,  and 
thy  name  will  not  endure  till  Doom  without  thy  killing  him  or 
putting  him  to  flight  this  evening.'  '  Right  indeed,'  said  Cet.  They 
went  after  him  as  far  as  Cet's  Ford. 


a  Cf .  fer  ná  dechaid  asa  náindin  riam  eret  roboi  gái  ina  laim  cen  chenn  Connach- 
taig  leis,  Zeitschr.  i.,  p.  103,  1.  b  Here  the  text  seems  corrupt. 


38  AIDED  CHEIT  MAIC  MAGACH 

5.  'Amin,  a  Chonaill ! '  ar  Cct.  '  Cid  sin,  a  Ceit?'  ar  Conall. 
'  Ni  rocha  as  aniu,  a  clóain,'  or  Cet.  '  Dóig  lem,'  or  Conall  ac  intód1 
tuici  7  nothúairgenn  (p.  8)  each  dib  a  cheili  co  clos  fon  dlthrub  uli  a 

nginthcch  -  a  mbolcfadach  7  gair   na  scur  7 -  an  a«r3  ac 

liiigedh  na  lath  ngaili  robatar  isin  ath,  co  torchair  cechtarde  anunn 
7  anall.     Marb  immorro  Cet  fo  cétóir  7  dororchair  Conall  a  nel. 


6.  Ocus  dúsctá  Conall  asa  nel.  '  Her  lat  na  hechu  co  hXJltu,'  or 
se,  '  ar  ná  romaigs<?t  Connachta  cetus.'  Faroféimid  in  gilla  tra  a 
tocbáil-sora  ina  carpat  7  ceilebraid  in  gilla  do  larum  7  luid  dia  tig. 
'Olc  so  tra,'  or  Conall,  '  aonf er  do  Connachtaib  7  rogellus-[s]a  ám,' 
ar  se,  '  nach[am]  muirfed  aonfer  do  Chonnachtaib  7  robo  ferr  lem  ina 
rige  in  doniuin  nech  do  Chonnachtaib  dom  athguin  co  ná  ba[d]  for  aon 
for  do  Chonnachtaib  nobeith  mo  marbad.' 


7.  Bélchu  Brefni  tra,  is  e  tonic  ar  tús.  '  Cet  so,'  or  sé.  '  Conall 
dono  sunna,'  ar  se  7  bid4  maith  an  Eriu  festa,'  or  se,  'ó  dotorchair 
in  da  árchoin  so  doloitsitar  an  Eiriu  eturra,'  la  tabairt  a[i]rlai«di 
a  tsl^i  for  Conall.  'Fair  t'irlaind  dim,  a  athair  !'  or  se.  'At  beo,' 
ar  Bélchu.  '  Ni  buide5  frit  ón,'  ar  Conall,  'am  beo-sa.'  'Fir,  a 
Conaill,'  ar  Belchii,  '  a[c]  cuinci[d]  do  gona  atái  form-sa  7  ní  dingén- 
sa,  oir  is  marb  cena  tu.'  '  NT  lémt[h]a  cid  mo  brat  do  goin,'  ar  Conall, 
'a  caillech  truag ! '  '  Nitmairbfet-sa6  tra,  acht  atá  ni  cena/  ar  sé. 
'  Notber  lem  dom  tig  7  not-ícfaitír  acum  7  madat7  slan  immorro 
caitMet  frit.' 


8.  Iarsin  tra  tocbaid  for  a  muin  7  a  leth  ina  diaid,  co  rainic  a  tech 
7  dobííV  leaga  cucui  gur  bo  slan.  '  Bid  fir,'  ar  Belchu  fria  maccaibh, 
'  raga  in  fer  sa  iiaim  7  ni  dingna  ar  les.      Marbaid  in  fer  resiu  dech9 


1  intógh  Ms  i  Here  the  ms  is  illegible.  3  An  leg.  a  n-arad  ? 

*  bit  ms  s  buige  ms  6  nitmuiibebsoni  ms  7  magat  ms  8  dech-  ms 


THE  DEATH  OF  CET  MAC  MAGACH       89 

5.  '  Now,  Conall ! '  said  Cet. 

'  What  is  that,  0  Cet? '  said  Conall. 

'  Thou  shalt  not  escape  to-day,  0  evil  one,'  said  Cet. 

'  That  is  my  opinion  too,'  said  Conall,  turning  towards  him.  And 
each  of  them  smites  the  other,  so  that  their  shouting  and  their 
panting,  and  the  ...  of  the  horses,  and  the  ...  of  their  charioteers  (?) 
inciting  the  heroes  who  were  in  the  ford  were  heard  throughout  the 
wilderness,  until  both  fell  to  this  side  and  that.  Cet,  however,  died 
forthwith,  and  Conall  fell  into  a  swoon. 

6.  And  Conall  awoke  out  of  his  swoon.  '  Take  the  horses  with 
thee  to  the  men  of  Ulster,'  said  he,  ■  before  the  men  of  Connaught 
.  .  .  .'a  However,  the  lad  was  unable  to  lift  him  into  the  chariot, 
and  so  he  bids  him  farewell,  and  he  went  home.  '  Now,  this  is 
bad,'  said  Conall,  '  that  a  single  man  of  Connaught  should  have 
wounded  me,b  while  I  have  vowed  that  no  single  man  of  Connaught 
should  kill  me.  And  I  had  rather  than  the  kingship  of  the  world 
that  some  one  of  Connaught  should  wound  me  again,  so  that  the 
slaying  of  me  should  not  rest  with  one  man  of  Connaught.' 

7.  Bélchú  of  Brefne,  however,  was  the  first  to  come  there. 
'This  is  Cet,'   said  he.     'And  here  is  Conall,'   said  he.     'And 

henceforth  Ireland  will  be'  happy,  since  these  two  slaughter-hounds 
have  fallen,  who  ruined  Ireland  between  them.'  So  saying,  he  set 
the  butt-end  of  his  spear  on  Conall.  '  Take  awayc  thy  spear  from 
me,  0  father,'  said  Conall.  'Thou  art  alive,'  said  Bélchú.  'No 
thanks  to  thee,'  said  Conall,  '  I  am  alive.'  '  I  see  it,  0  Conall,'  said 
Bélchú,  '  thou  wouldst  have  me  slay  thee.  But  I  shall  not  do  so,  for 
thou  art  dead  as  it  is.'  '  Thou  wouldst  not  dare  to  wound  even  my 
cloak,'  said  Conall,  '  thou  wretched  old  woman.'  '  I  shall  not  kill 
thee  now,  but  there  is  something  else.  I  shall  carry  thee  with  me  to 
my  house,  and  thou  shalt  be  healed  with  me ;  and  when  thou  art 
whole,  I  shall  fight  with  thee.' 

8.  So  then  he  lifts  him  on  his  back,  half  dragging  him  behind, 
until  he  reached  his  house.  And  he  brought  physicians  to  him  until 
he  was  whole.  '  It  will  be  even  so,'  said  Bélchú  to  his  sons,  '  this 
man  will  escape  from  me  and  will  do  us  no  good.     Kill  ye  the  man 

*  romaigset  ?  b  Something  like  this  seems  omitted.  c  Literally 

'take  heed.' 


40  AIDED  CHEIT  MAIC  MAGACH 

iiain.  Tigid  iaruni  cucui  uili  amarach  d'agaid,  co  facar-sa  in  airecwJ 
fosclaicthi  ar  bar  cinn  7  marbaid  [é]  ina  lebaid.'  Rofitir  fer  in  imnid 
7  an  uilc  móir  .i.  Conall  in  midiithracht  robói  dó. 

9.  '  Dun  in  tech  ! '  ar  Conall  fri  Belcoin.  Ttit  sail*  7  iiicaid  in 
tech  fuslaidhi.  '  Mait[h]  didiu,  a  Bélchú,'  ar  Conall,  '  tan  am 
lebaid-sa!'  '  Ni  to,'  or  Bélchii.  'Do  cenn  dit-sa,'  ar  Conall, 
'  mina  tisi  isin  lebaid.'  'Bid  eicin,'  ar  Bélchu.  Dúnaid1  didiu 
Bélchú  in  tech.  Iar  cotlud  do  Bélchoin  fuslaicid-  Conall  an  tech. 
Dotheeait  maic  Bélchon  dochum  na  imdaidi  a  mbúi  a  n-athair  7 
dobcrait  a  tri  sl?#i  trit  gur  marbsat  7  eirgid  Conall  iarsin  7  imrid  a 
claidem  forra  co  mbói  spreathach  a  n-incinni  im  na  fraighthaib  7 
beridh  a  ceithri  cinnu  lais  sair,  co  riacht  a  thech  resiu  roba  matin. 
Conid  hi  A[i]dii  Ceit  7  Bélchon  Brefni  cona  maccaib  in  sin. 


Version  B 

From  mss.  23.  G.  21,  p.  140,  and  23.  B.  21,  p.  174  (R.  I.  A.). 

Ag  so  sios  do  bhás  Cheit  mic  Mághach. 

1.  Ba  tréinfear  an  Ceat  so  7  fa  biodhbha  hiothfoghlaidh  air  TJlltaibh 
é  feadh  a  ré.  Lá  n-aon  dá  ndeachaidh  an  Ceat  so  a  nUlltaibh  ag 
deanamh  dibfeirge  amhuil  fá  gnáith  leis  go  ttárla  sneachta  mór  fan 
am  sin  ann ;  7  ag  tille  do  7  tri  ceinn  laoch  air  gad  aige  do  marbadh 
leis  'san  turras3  sin,  thig  Conall  Cearrnach  air  a  lorg  gur  chuir  fá 
ghreim  é  ag  Áth  Cheat,  gur  chomruic  siad  le  chéile,  gur  thuit  Ceat 
'san  chomhlann  7  gur  tromghoineadh  Conall  féin,  gur  thuit  a  néal 
air  an  láthair  iair  ttréigion  iomaid  fola  do.  7  leis  sin  tig  Béalchú 
Bréifne,  tréinfear  eile  do  Chonnachtaibh  do  láthair.  Mar  fuair  Ceat 
marbh  7  Conall  a  ccrothaibh  báis  adubhairt  gur  mhaith  an  sgéal  an 
dá  onnchoin  sin  dá  ttáinig  aighmhille  Éireann  do  bheith  isna  hann- 
rachtaibh  sin. 

2.  '  As  fior  sin,'  air  Conall,  '  7  a  ndiol  a  ndearrna  mise  d'  ulc  air 
Chonnachtaibh  riamh  marbh-sa  me  ! '  As  uime  adubhairt  Conall  sin 
do  brigh  go  madh  fearr  leis  ná  flaithios  Éireann  laoch  eigin4  eile  dá 

1  dunaig  ms  2  fusii  ms  3  turruis  B  4  om.  B 


THE  DEATH  OF  CET  MAC  MAGACH      41 

before  he  goes  from  us !  Come  then  to  him  all  of  you  to-morrow- 
night,  when  I  will  leave  the  house  open  before  you,  and  kill  him  in 
his  bed.'  The  man  of  affliction  and  great  woe,  even  Conall,  knew  the 
evil  intent  which  was  (harboured)  against  him. 

9.  '  Close  the  house !'  said  Conall  to  Bélchú.  He  goes  forward  and 
leaves  the  house  open.  '  Well  now,  Bélchú,'  said  Conall,  '  come  into 
my  bed.'  '  Nay,'  said  Bélchú.  '  Off  with  thy  head ! '  said  Conall, 
'  unless  thou  come  into  the  bed.'  '  It  must  needs  be,'  said  Bélchú. 
Then  Bélchú  closed  the  house.  When  Bélchú  had  fallen  asleep, 
Conall  opens  the  house.  The  sons  of  Bélchú  come' towards  the  bed 
in  which  their  father  was  and  put  their  three  spears  through  him,  so 
that  they  killed  him.  And  then  Conall  arises  and  plies  his  sword 
upon  them,  so  that  their  brains  were  scattered  about  the  walls.  And 
he  carries  their  four  heads  with  him  eastward  until  he  reached  his 
house  before  it  was  morning.  So  that  is  the  Death  of  Cet  and  of 
Bélchú  of  Brefne  with  his  sons. 


42  AIDED  CEIT  MAIC  MAGACH 

ghoin  ionnus  nach  beth  elú  a  niharbhtha  air  aonlaoch  amháin  do 
Chonnachtaibh.  '  Ni  mhuirfid,'  air  Béalcbú,  '  oir  as  geall  re  bheith 
marbb  dhuit  an  riocht  ina  bhfuile.  Gidheadh,  bear  liom  thú  7  cuirfead 
leigbios  ort  7  más  téarmóidh1  ód  otbrus2  duit,  do  dhéan  comhrac 
áenFir  leat  go  ndioghaltar  liom  ort  gacb  docbar  7  gach  dítb  dár 
himreadb  leat  air  Chounachtaibb.' 

3.  Agus  leis  sin  cuirios  iomchar  faoi  7  beirios  leis  dá  thig  féin  é, 
gur  cbuir  leigbios  air  ann  go  betb  dá  chréachtaibh  cneasda.  Mar 
do  mbeas  umorro  Béalcbú  eision  ag  tearnó  7  a  neart  féin  a  teacbt  aris 
ann,  do  gbabb  eagla  ré  Conall  é  7  ollmhuightbear  triur  laocb  da 
cblainn  ré  Béalchoin  re  marbhadb  Cbona[i]ll  tró  feall  'san  oidhcbe  air 
a  leabaidh.  Gidheadb,  fuair  Conall  dóigh  air  chogar3  na  ceilge  sin,  7 
an  oidbcbe  do  bin  a  bbarra4  fan  ccloinn  teacbt  ag  déanamh  na  feille, 
adubbairt  Conall  le  Béalchoin  go  ccaitbfeadb  malairt  leaptba  d'  Fágbail 
uaidb  no  go  muirfeadb.  7  leis  sin  luigheas  Béalcbú  gér  leisg  ó  a 
leabaidb  Chonaill  7  do  luigb  Conall  ina  leabaidb  sin,  go  ttángadar  an 
triur  laocb  sin  fá  chlainn  do  Bhéalchoin  d'  ionsuigbe  na  leaptha  ina 
mbiodb  Conall,  gur  mbarbhadar  a  n-atbair  a  riocht  Chonaill. 

4.  Mar  do  mhoithigh  Conall  iad  sin  iar  marbhadh  a  n-athar  ina  riocht 
féin,  do  ling  ortha  7  marbhthar  leis  iad  a  ttriur  7  dithcheanntar  leis 
iad  mar  aon  lena  n-athair,  go  rug  airnamháireach  a  ccinn  dá  ccomh- 
mhaoidheamh  go  hEamhuin.  Gonadh  ag  muidheamh  an  ghniomha 
sin  atá  an  file  'san  rann  so  : 

Eá  do  chearrdaibh  Conaill  Chearna[igh] 
ionnradh  Manann,  mór  an  modh, 
is  goin  tri  mac  Béalchón  Bréifne 
iár  ngoin5  athar6  na  ttri  ccon. 

Gonadh  é  sin  marbhadh  Ceit  mic  Mághach  7  Bhéalchon  gona  thriur 
mac  go  roich  so  ;  gidheadh  as  iomdha  éacht  adhbhal  eile  do  féadfaidhe 
do  chomhmhuidheamh  air  Chonall  Fuigfiom  don  chur  so  gan  cur  sios 


1  teiirnoidh  B  2'tothrus  G  ;    tfothras  B  3  chogairB  4  bhara  B 

bhéil  add.  BG  "  athair  BG 


(     43     ) 


NOTES 

p.  4,  §  1,  commesctha,  better  conmesctha. 

ib.,  §  3,  a  let  hi  arnabáraeh,  perhaps  miswritten  for  a  leth  iarnabdrach. 

p.  7,  §  5.  Similar  incidents  of  self-display  to  women  occur  in  the  Táin  Bó 
Ciialngi  (Cúchulinn),  and  in  Dindsenchas  9  (Niall). 

p.  11,  1.  1,  Morann,  son  of  Móen  add.  Ed. 

p.  12,  §  2.  Perhaps  instead  of  forcua[i~\d  we  should  read/o?cw[we]arfas  in  §  1. 
But  ci.foreuad  '  has  been  completed,'  Tur.  49.  So  also  foscumadh,  p.  14,  §  2,  may 
be  miswritten  for  for cumcad. 

p.  15,  1.  4.  The  blood  which  he  had  shed  was  a  baptism  to  him.  So  the  Holy 
Innocents  were  baptised  with  their  blood.     See  Fél.2,  p.  468. 

p.  20,  1.  2.  Note  the  internal  rhyme  between  Emna  and  (Meiss-)gegra. 
Similarly  ib.,  1.  16  (Meiss-)gegra:  demna. 

ib.,  1.  3.  As  there  is  internal  rhyme  in  every  couplet  of  this  poem,  it  is 
evident  that  Cináed  húa  Hartacáin  wrote  Mdgach,  which  alone  would  give  the 
required  rhyme  with  drach.  In  his  poem,  Fianna  bdtar  i  nEmain  ('  Rev.  Celt.'  xxiii., 
p.  308),  Mdgach  rhymes  with  (ro)ldmad. 

ib.,  1.  7.     Note  the  internal  rhyme  between  (dor-)aingred  and  Laignech. 

p.  22,  §  2,  co  ráinic  in  baili  si.  Here  co  rdinic  is  either  a  petrified  phrase 
like  corrici,  or,  more  likely,  rdinic  is  used  impersonally  like  the  German  es  kam. 
The  impersonal  use  of  certain  verbs,  such  as  dognt,  do-icc,  and  others,  deserves 
special  study.  Cf .  dorigne  lúaith  de,  literally,  '  it  made  ashes  of  him  ' ;  ó  thánic 
cusna  dedenchu  do  ;  ó  rosiacht  cusna  dedenchu  dó,  &c. 

p.  24,  §  1.  Celtchar  son  of  Uthechar,1  from  whom  Dun  Celtchair,  a  large 
fort  near  Downpatrick,  is  named,  is  often  mentioned,  together  with  Conall 
Cernach,  Fergus  mac  Róich,  and  Lóigaire  Búadach,  among  the  older  generation 
of  the  Ulster  heroes.  In  the  story  of  MacDáthó's  Pig,  he  is  called  '  a  tall,  grey, 
very  terrible  warrior'  (Idech  Hath  mcr  forgrdnna,  §  13).  His  wife  was  Brig 
Brethach  (§  1  and  FB.  28).  His  daughter  Niab  (§  9)  was  the  wife  of  Cormae 
Condlongas,  the  son  of  Conchobor  (ib.).  One  of  his  sons  was  called  Liath  (Tochm. 
Etdine,  16,  19).  He  had  two  brothers,  Glas  and  Menn  (Henderson,  Fled  Br., 
p.  132).  He  is  called  Celtchar  na  celg,  '  C.  of  the  wiles,'  in  Serglige  Conculaind, 
§  29. 

ib.,  §  2.  Blái  Briuga's  burial-place  is  mentioned  in  a  poem  at  the  end  of 
Leabhar  na  hUidhre  (p.  134b),  the  fragmentary  state  of  which  is  greatly  to  be 
regretted,  as  the  poem  is  evidently  very  old,  and  we  have  no  second  copy.     This 


i  He  is  called  mac  Uthidir,  LU.  121  b,  in  Tog.  Br.  JD.  D.,  and  elsewhere. 


44  NOTES 

poem  is  entitled,  '  The  places  in  which  the  heads  of  the  Ulster  champions  are. 
From  the  Book  of '  .  .  .'     Only  three  quatrains  are  preserved,  as  follows  :  — 
H5nd  úair  dundánic  Fáilbe        d'Eliu  iar  n-imram  ch[urach] 

indid  dam-se  citn'  armand        hi  fil  chend  erred  Ul[ad]. 
Iarna  thabairt  do  Maig  Breg        do  Ráith  Emnae  tiiaith  a[ 

adradnacht  cend  Conchobuir        for  a  cholaind  im-Machi. 
Góeta  díag  mná  Celtchair        cinid  cecbind  ha  hisil 

cend  Blái  Briugad  iar  n-insu        da  néim  hEmuin  fa  des  .   .  . 

In  his  poem  beginning  Fianna  bátar  i  nEmain  (Rev.  Celt,  xxiii.,  p.  308), 
O'Hartacán  says  that  he  died  tria  chin  mnd  i  ndetciurt  Oenaig  Macha. 

p.  27,  1.  4.  According  to  the  Expulsion  of  the  Déssi  (p.  122),  the  name  of  this 
son  of  Celtchar's  was  Oengus. 

p.  28,  §  10.  The  monster  called  Luch  donn,  or  Dun  Mouse,  is  also  mentioned 
in  the  dindsenchas  of  Alend  (E.  Gwynn,  Metrical  Dindsenchas  n.,  p.  80).  In  Fled 
Bricrend,  §§  22,  46,  the  name  is  applied  as  an  epithet  to  Loegaire  Buadach. 
Thurneysen's  rendering  '  Máusehaut,'  as  if  luch-thond  (Sagen  aus  dem  alten 
Irland,  p.  35)  should  be  corrected  accordingly. 

p.  29, 1.  5.  In  Fled  Bricrend,  \  7,  Celtchar  boasts  of  having  slain  Conganchness, 
and  cut  off  his  head. 

ib.,  §  11.  A  marginal  gloss  in  LU.  (p.  61)  contradicts  the  statement  here  made 
that  the  hound  of  Culand  the  smith  was  one  of  the  three  hounds  that  were  in  the 
brain  of  Conganchness.  It  says  that  these  events  happened  long  after  the  Tain, 
and  that  the  smith's  hound  had  been  brought  out  of  Spain.  '  Nirbo  é  in  tres  cu 
robói  i  n-inchind  Conganchnis  in  cú  sin  amail  is  cétfaid  do  foirind.  Ar  is  do 
dígail  Conrói  for  XJUaib  dodeochaid  Conganchnes  7  fota  a  aithli  na  Tana  cid 
hésiífe  7  hi  cind  a  secht  mbliadna  romarb  som  (.i.  Cuchulaind)  coin  na  cerda. 
Conid  bréc  amlaid  sin  cétfaid  na  fairni  ut,  ar  is  a  Hespáin  tucad  cú  na  cerda 
amail  innistir  hi  curp  in  sceoil.' 

p.  31,  1.  1.  Dóelchú,  Celtchar'' s  own  hound.  The  name  of  this  hound  is  also 
mentioned  in  the  Dindsenchas  of  Siiab  Callann  (Rev.  Celt,  xvi.,  p.  53),  and  in  the 
glosses  on  0  Hartacán's  poem  Fianna  bdtari  nEinain  (ib.  xxiii.,  p.  320s  and  325). 

JDóil,  i.e.  'Black  Chafer'  seems  to  have  been  a  common  name  for  black 
hounds.  One  of  Maelfothartaig's  favourite  hounds  bore  the  same  name  in  its 
diminutive  form  Dóilíne  (see  Rev.  Celt,  xiii.,  p.  393). 

ib.,  §  12.  Celtchar's  death  is  mentioned  in  0  Hartacán's  poem  (1.  c,  p.  308) 
as  having  occurred  eastward  of  Dún  Lethglaise,  i.e.  Downpatrick.3  In  the  gloss 
the  fatal  drop  is  said  to  have  passed  through  hie  head. 

1  Inna  hinadu  hi  filet  cind  erred  [n]  Clad  in  so.     Allib[ur]  .   .   . 

2  Here,  in  §  15,  for  Dóelcu  chelch.  mc  read  Dueled  Cheltchair  maic  [  Uthec hair], 
and  correct  the  translation  on  p.  335  accordingly. 

3  '  Albath  Celtchair  cona  dáil  fri  Dun  Lethglasse  anair .'  Stokes  reads  conad  ail, 
and  translates,  'so  that  it  is  a  shame.'  The  glossator  certainly  read  cona  ddil 
'  with  his  Dáel,'  though  this  makes  a  poor  rhyme  with  anair. 


NOTES  45 

p.  31,  §  12.  The  lain  Cheltchair  was  a  lance  found  in  the  Battle  of  Moytura, 
whose  deadly  qualities  are  thus  described  in  Bruden  Dá  Derga,  §  129  :  '  When  it  is 
ripe  to  pour  forth  a  foeman's  blood,  a  caldron  full  of  blood  is  needed  to  quench  it 
when  a  deed  of  manslaying  is  expected  from  it.  Unless  it  gets  that,  it  will  flame 
on  its  haft,  and  will  go  through  its  bearer  or  the  master  of  the  palace  wherein  it  is. 
If  it  is  a  thrust  that  is  given  by  it,  it  will  kill  a  man  at  every  thrust  while  it  is  at 
that  feat,  from  one  hour  to  another,  though  it  may  not  reach  him.  And  if  it  be  a 
cast,  it  will  kill  nine  men  at  every  cast,  and  one  of  the  nine  will  be  a  king  or  a 
crown  prince  or  a  chieftain  of  reavers.'  After  Celtchar's  death,  it  passed  into  the 
hands  of  Dubthach  Dóil  Ulad  (ib.);  Dubthach  was  himself  slain  with  it  by 
Fedlimid  (see  Hennessy's  edition  of  Mesca  Ulad,  pp.  xiv,  vi ;  37,  39).  At  a 
later  period  MacCécht  slew  Cuscraid  Menn  with  it  (EC.  23,  p.  308,  $  16). 

p.  33,  §  1.     For  these  events  see  the  Longes  mac  nUsneeh,  Ir.  Texte,  I. 

ib.,  §  2.  They  are  not  good  in  water.  Cf.  the  following  passage  in  the  Táin  Bó 
Fráich.     '  Adfiadar  dam,'  ol  Ailill,  '  at  maith  i  r.-uisciu,'  LL.  250  a  17. 

ib.,  $  3.     Cf.  0  Hartacán's  poem  (1.  c,  p.  308)  :— 

Robith  Fergus  matan  moch     do  sleig  Lugdach  i  Findlocb. : 
iss  é  sin  in  scél  dia  tá       '  Oenét  amnas  Ailella,' 
with  the  gloss :  Ailill  isbert  fri  hugdaig  Dalléces :  '  álainn  connágat  in  t-ag  7  in 
elit,'  ar  sé,  .i.  Ailill '  isin  loch.     Imsoei  gae  forrae,  a  Lugaid  ! ' 

p.  36.  There  seem  to  have  been  other  versions  of  this  story  differing  from 
those  here  printed.  This  I  conclude  from  the  following  stanza  in  0  Hartacan's 
poem  (1.  c,  p.  308)  :— 

I  fleid  Bélcon  ro-lámad  cé.tguine  Ceit  maicc  Mágach  : 
Bélch  ú  Breifne  cona  chlaind  góita  do  cherddaib  Conaill. 
'  At  Belchu's  feast  the  first  slaying  of  Cet  mac  Magach  was  planned  :  Belchu  of 
Breifne,  with  his  children,  was  slain  by  Conall's  arts.'  On  this  we  have  the 
following  gloss  (ib.,  p.  326) :  .i.  Conall  Cernach  romarb  Cet  a  cath  (an  leg.  ac  a  áth  ?) 
7  ic  fled  Bélchoa  rococrathad  (leg.  rococrad),  '  Conall  Cernach  slew  Cet  in  battle 
(at  his  ford  ?   cf .  §  4,  above),  and  at  Belchu's  feast  it  had  been  planned.' 

ib.,  §  4.  afescur,  literally,  'in  the  evening,  before  night,'  seems  to  have  the 
secondary  meaning  of  '  at  once,  immediately.' 

p.  38,  1.  6,  dororchair,  better  dorochair. 

ib.,  §  7,  caithfet,  perhaps  miswritten  for  cathaigfet. 

p.  40,  §  9,fuslaicid  Conall  an  tech.  The  ms.  has  'fusii,'  which  might  be  read 
fuslaicthi,  with  proleptic  neuter  pronoun  (i)  referring  to  an  tech  (better  a  tech). 


(      4(3      ) 


INDEX  NOMINUM 


Adam  14,2. 

Aed  mac  Ainninne  22.  1. 

Ailbe28,  11. 

Ailill  32,  1.  2.  34,  4. 

Altus  10, 14.  12,  1.  2.  14,  3. 


Bachrach  10,13.  14,  1. 

Bélchú  Bréfni  38,  7.  8.  40,  9. 

Blfei  bringa  24,  1  &c. 

Brig- Brethach  ben  Cheltchair  24,  1. 

Buite  mac  Brónaig  18,  2. 


Cathbad  16,4.  18,2. 

Celtcbar  mac  Uthechair  24,  1  &c. 

Cenn  Berraide  6,  7.' 

Cet  mac  Matach  (Mágach)  4,  2.  4.  6,  5. 

6.  18,  1.  36,  1  &c. 
Conall  Cernach  4,  1.  2.  36.2  &c. 
Conchobur  mac  Nessa  4,  1  &c.   6,  5  &c. 

8,9.  10.  12,1.  24,2.  3.  26,4. 
Conchobur  mac  Cathbath  18,  2. 
Congancbness  mac  Dedad  26,  S.  9. 
Cormac  Conlonges  32, 1. 
Crist  8,11.  10,12.  13.  12,1. 
Cuchulaind  4,1.  24,2.  3. 
Culand  28,  11. 
Cúrúi  mac  Daiie  26,  8. 


Daire  mac  Dedad  26,  8. 

Dóelchú  28,11. 

Dubthach  Dóelthenga  32, 1. 


Eogan  mac  Durthacht  32,  1. 


Fergus  mac  Róich  32,  1  &c. 
Fiachra  mac  Conchobair  32,  1. 
Fingen  fúthliaig  8,9.  18,  1. 
Flann  Mainistrech  18,  1. 


Geirgi  mac  Illeda  32,  1. 
Isu  Crist  8,  11. 


Lóigaire  Búadach  4, 1.  22, 1. 
in  Luch  Dond  28, 10. 
Lugaid  Dalléces  32,1.  3. 


MacDáthó  28,11. 

Maic  Usnech  32,  1. 

Medb  32,  1.  2. 

Messgegra  4,  1.  4.  14,  4.  16,  5. 

Morand  mac  Main  9,  12. 

Mugain  Aitt  in  chaithrech  22,  1. 

Muireóg  14,2.  16,  3. 

Niab  ingen  Cheltchair  26, 9. 

Ochtauin  10,  14. 


Tadg  macCéin  18,  1. 
Tibir  mac  Augaist  12,  1.     Tibir  Sesair 
Auguist  14,  2. 


(     47     ) 


INDEX   LOCOKUM 


Albaf.  14,1. 

Ard-achad  Slébe  Fúait  6,7. 
Ard  na  Con  6,  7. 
Áth  Ceit  36,4. 

Áth  Daire  Dá  Báeth  6,  6.  7.   18,  1.   20, 
1.  4. 


Bréfni  Connacht  36,  2. 
Bri  Breg  20,  1.11. 


Cianacht  18,  1. 
Connachta  4,4  &c.  32,  1. 


Daire  Dá  Báeth  6,  7. 
Déssi  Muman  24,  3.  26,  4. 


EmainMacha4,l.  14,2.  gen.nahEmna 

4,3.  20,  1.2. 
Ériuf.  4,3.8,12.  16,4.  5.  22,  2. 


Findloch  33,  note  c. 
Fir  Ross  6,  6. 


Gáedil  10,14.  16,5. 
Glenn  na  Mórmuice  28,  10. 


Iduil/«<;s  16,4. 

ludaidi  Jews  8, 11.  12,  3.  16,  5. 

Lagin  10,13.  14,1.  18,  1.  28,11. 
LethMoga  14,  1. 
Lettir  Lániraige  20,  1.  9. 
Loch  Lái[g]  22,  2. 

Mag  Ái  32,  2. 

Mag  Lámraige  i  Feraib  Ross  18,  1. 

Mag  Muirthemne  14,  1. 

Muma  f.  Munster  24,  3. 

Remain  12,  1.  14,2. 

See  Aird  na  Con  6,  7. 
Semuine  isna  Déisib  26,  6. 
Slíab  Fúait  6,  7. 

Ulaid  4,  1  &c.  14,  1.  24, 1.  36, 1  &c. 


(     48 


GLOSSARY 


The  first  number  refers  to  the  page,  the  second  to  the  paragraph. 


*/ 


air-lann  a  staff,  shaft,  gen.  airlainde 
38,  7.  ace.  irlaind,  ib.  gen.  pi. 
maidm  na  n-urland  ria  nGerr  nGáela 
for  Gullu  '  rout  of  the  staves,'  Tig. 
1024.  a  rudder,  docorustar  a  ldi  (nó 
urland)  fri  tír,  Corm.  s.v.  prúll. 

áis  age.  ^  <5t  áis  all  thy  life  20,  1.  7. 
See  Eriu  n.,  p.  87. 

aitin-chairchech  furzy -haired.  Mugain 
A.  22,  1.  6.  See  Ériu  i.,  p.  117, 
note  b. 

álaig  behaviour,  manners  6,  5.  álaig, 
LU.  91b17.  gen.  dech  cecha  áilche 
ainmne,  LL.  294a38.  n.  pi.  alcha 
bár  .i.  bésa  súadh,  CZ.  v.  dat. 
nolinfad  in  domun  dia  ailgib  J  dia 
gaiscedaib,  TTr.2  1501.  Hence 
su-alaig  virtue,  du-alaig  vice. 

amárach  d'agaid  to-morroiv  night  40, 
1.  1.  ragat-sa  imárach  dadaig  in  bar 
ndegaid  RC.  22,  p.  23,  note  8. 

amin  indeed,  forsooth  .'  24,  3.  is  ole 
amein!  Otia  ii.  86. 

an-dlochtan  a  wisp,  bunch  36,  3.  Cf. 
dlocht  crema,  Mcgn.  Finn,  §  24. 
dlochtan  crema  i  criss,  Ir.  T.  iii.  82. 

an-feta  violent,  a  derivative  of  anfeth. 
co  anfeta  8,  10. 

arach  n.  bond,  security,  dar  árach  20, 
1.  3. 

ar-chú  a  slaughter-hound,  du.  nom.  in 
dá  archoin  38,  7. 

ardrach  sovran  ?  a  Ri  ardrach  adamrai 
10,  12.  iar  n-ardrach  écomnart,  ib. 
i  n-ardracb  iiguba,  ib.     artrag  12,  3. 


arnenitir  12,  3. 

ath-guin  f.  a  wounding  again,     dom  a. 

38,  6. 
attail  he  slept  20,  1.  12. 

'- ,  iv,  2-  ,  'W£4Uv4 

beoil  grease  20,  10. 

bolcfadach  a  puffing,  panting  38,  1.  4. 

b.  na  trénfer  sin  la  scis  ind  irnrama, 

TTr.2  863. 
bricht  slain  a  sleeping  spell  28,  1.  2. 
bruinne  (1)  breast;  (2)  brink,  end.    A 

play  upon    the  double  meaning,  34, 

1.5. 


caithim  /  fight,      fut.  sg.   1   caithfet 

frit  38,  7. 
cepp  a   block,  log.     cep    ferna   28,   10. 

ace.  iarsin  cep,  ib.    gen.  Ath  in  Chip, 

n.l.  AU.  1270.     dat.  in  indeoin  cona 

cip,  RC.  24,  194.     ató  mar  chimbid 

i  cipp,  Franc,  ms.  A  (9).     dat.  pi.  do 

ebeppaib,  LL.  110". 
cingim   /  «70,    march,     eichtis   10,    12. 

cichestee  12,  3. 
clóemclód  =  cóimchlód  an  exchange  12, 

1. 
cloithech  famous,     c.   a  chelg   18,  1. 

nem  cloethech,  LB.  lllb. 
coimthecht  companionship,     i  Coimded 

coimthecht  in  the  company  of  the  Lord 

10,  12. 
com-derb  equally  certain  or  known.     CO 

mba  c.  isin  mbith  nuch  seel  n-airdirc 

12,  1. 


GLOSSAKY 


4!> 


comthach  m.  a  companion,     frit  chom- 

thach    20,   1.    10.       mo    chomthacb, 

Tochm.  Ferbe  533. 
con-clichim   trans.  I  dash,  toss ;    intr. 

J  shake,  tremble,     conciuchiis  12,  3. 
con-ocbaim    (con-od-gabim)  /  lift  up. 

ma  chotócbaimmis  10,  12  =  ma  chu- 

tooccaibmis    12,    3.      conocba,    Ml. 

79c5. 
con-oscraim  (con-od-scaraim) :   cotnos- 

crastar  he  shook  himself?  14,  4. 
con-tulim  I  sleep,     perf.  sg.  3  connat- 

tail  20,  1.  14. 
cuit  a  portion  of  food.     gen.  ac  fuine 

a  chotach  36,  2. 


dám-rad  n.  a  company  of  visitors  or 
guests,  a  visiting.  Laws,  for  dámrud 
24,  1. 

derc  n.  a  cave.  gen.  dochum  na  derca, 
20,  10.  dat.  isin  derc,  ib.  ace. 
tarsan  derc  amach  ib. 

dergail  =  derg-gail?     16,  4.  5. 

dígmaig  ?  rocés  croicli  crúaid  ar  dóine 
digmaig  (dichmaire  12,  3)  10,  12. 
ní  bia  debaid  díchmaig  de,  sídáig 
mac  na  mongfinde,  LL.  34b53.  ba 
dichmaig  cen  dith,  SR.  6335.  Dauid 
dichmaig  dil,  SR.  6401.  6339.  tecait 
iarum  na  Fomoire  co  mbátar  i  ndich- 
maid  i  Scetno,  RC.  xn.  86. 

dirigim  /  make  straight,  straighten. 
nos-dirgenn  co  Celtchar  he  makes 
straight  for  C.  30,  12.  oc  dirgad 
cbucca  for  a  slicht,  Alex.  307.  nus- 
dirgenn  he  straightens  himself '34,  4. 

do-aircbim  ?  ní  toircéba  t'ainm  co  bráth 
36,  4. 

do-ellaim  I  turn  aside,  dofell  (=  do-ell) 
ar  (=  for)  cóerchu  28,  10.  doraell 
for  écnuch  na  Tiinóite,  Arch.  m.  14. 
doeUsit,  Ir.  T.  in.  240,  169. 

do-es-com-orgim  / shed,  ind  f uil  don- 
esmart  (sic  leg.)  14,  4.  ar  écnairc 
inna  fola  donescmart  erond,  Otia 
Merseiana  n.  p.  97,  §  30. 


do-etar-rethim  /  overtake,  reach,  dus 
in  tetarthad  écht  4,  4.  dosri-etarraid, 
LU.  76  a  16.  nicon  tetarraid  béiin 
náforgab  fair  73  a  11. 

do-rea-roosat  who  has  created  us  12,  3. 
=  Imram  Brain  §  48. 

do-sóim  I  turn,  dosái  forsna  cethru 
30,  1.  3.  imsoat,  dosoat  SR.  1013. 
tossói  som  iarum  clár  clé  a  charpait 
fri  hEmain,  LU.  63  a  24.  dasui 
Flathgius  gilla  Find  |  a  gnúis  ri  gáir 
écomlaind,  LL.  163b3l.  tosóifet  fria 
sruthu  sruthlinne,  RC.  26,  48. 

drub  delay  12,  3.  druib  10,  12.  drubh 
.i.  tairisiomh  nó  comhnaidhe,  O'Cl. 
drub  cen  tathchor,  LL.  371  a  15. 
Cf.  drubaim  I  linger,  r'ay,  abide. 
ar  a  fat  rodrubastar  fo  recnt  nóeb, 
RC.  xx.  p.  274. 

dual  a  plait,  lock,  tress,  ace.  gataid 
dual  a  muing  na  n-ech  36,  3.  gen. 
mell  for  rind  each  dúail,  Br.  Dá  D.  1. 

elad  f.  =  ailad,  Contribb.,  ulad  Wi.  a 
tomb.  dat.  for  elaid  uair  18,  2.  for 
a  elaid  Trip.  158,  12. 

engnamaid  valorous  8,11. 

ethaim  I  take,  seize,  snatch,  ethaid  4, 
4.  ethaid  (=  gaibid  L.)  in  luirg 
n-iairn,  Otia  n.  86  §  4.  ethais  giall 
each  cóicid,  ib.  87  §  7.  See  Zinimer, 
Kuhns  Zeitschrift  xxx.,  p.  75. 

etraigim  (with  ace.)  I  have  to  do  oi 
meddle  with,  ná  etraiged  mnái  8,  10. 
ní  hetragim  dála  ban,  SR.  3178. 
ná  hettruiccidh  clann  Eoghain  !  Arch. 
Soc.  i.  42. 


fás -tech  n.  an  empty  or  deserted  house. 

dat.  i  fástig  36,  2.     i  fástig  notguin 

triana  tuighi  súas,  CZ.   i.  104,  22. 

ace.  fogabat  fástech  and,  D.  4.  2,  fo. 

52b2. 
fáth-liaig    m.    vates    medicus,    a    seer 

physician  18,  11.      brithem  7  f.  LL. 

200b2.     See  Aisl.  M.,  p.  145.     gen. 

do  thig  araile  fáthlegha,  D.  4.  2,  fo. 

63-1. 


O^Cij/ 


<W/i^ 


50 


GLOSSARY 


fed  extent,  length,     i  fedh  Taidg  18,  1. 

fertas  f.  the  hind-shaft  of  a  chariot. 
etir  dá  f.  in  charpait  34,  4.  dat.  din 
lorg-fertais  chatha,  LL.  177". 

festa  henceforth  38,  7. 

fionnachtain  a  becoming  known  22,  B. 

fo-cerddaim  (intrans.)  J  rush,  focherd- 
dat  Ulaid  chuci  6,  6. 

fo-frith  was  found  18,  2.    _■    •   .^ 

fomtiu  (verb-noun  of  fo-menim)  f.  cau- 
tion, guard.  Aisl.  M.  Index,  dat.  i 
foratin  8,  10. 

forad  m.  a  shelf,  doratad  forsin  forud 
4,  3.  n.  pi.  failet  foraid  forórdai, 
SR.  502. 

fortamlas  m.  prevalence,  superiority, 
the  upper  hand,  rogab  ciniud  indala 
fir  f.  ar  aroile,  Bodl.  Dinds.  14. 

frescol  ?  een  láthair  freasguil  14,  2. 
Cf.  cin  láthar  ferrda  CZ.  vi.  84,  9. 

fris-táim  I  oppose,  fritumthá  brón  báis 
10,  12.  conná  bí  ní  frestai  a  mes  ón 
so  that  there  is  nothing  to  oppose  its 
valuation,  Ml.  31d6. 

fúagaim  =  úagaim,  with  prothetic  f, 
/  stitch,  sew.  pret.  pass,  rofuaged 
co  snath  6ir  8,  10. 


gart  generosity,  hospitality,  honourable 
behaviour.  cinnid  ar  cech  crábud, 
gart,  LB.  77.  is  cóir  gart  i  coic,  Eg. 
1782,  45*1.  LL.  345c.  270b23.  gen. 
sg.  ar  met  a  garta  7  a  gnima,  TTr.2 
1335.  im  dian-garta  dám,  LL. 
132b23.  ace.  pi.  rochren  fial-garta 
cen  faill,  LU.  53a. 

gnithech  a  shouting  38,  1.  4.  Cf.  gnid 
.i.  guth,  unde  dicitur  gnidgal,  Corm. 
p.  23.  gnioth  a  shout,  uproar,  O'R. 
co  ngníthaib  fiad  na  slógaib,  SR. 
8118. 

grenach  f.  gravel,  dat.  do  grenaig 
32,  2.  LL.  197b22.  nirpsa  grenach 
cecharda,  Hib.  Min.  Rawl.  B.  512, 
fo.  llla2.  cona  grenchaib  airgdidib, 
SR.  378. 


iachtad   a    squealing,   yelping.      i.    na 

cuilén  28,  11.     i.    cech  mairb,  RC. 

26,  32. 
Idal   m.    an    idolater,  Jew.     n.   pi.  na 

hldhuil  16,  4.     Gaelic  Maundeville, 

§$2,  16. 
imda  f.  bed.     gen.  dochum  na  imdaidi 

40,  9. 
indellaim  /  make  ready,  adjust,     nos- 

indlethar   6,    6.       I    have   no    other 

instances  of  this  verb  in  the  deponent. 

ní  indlium  lína  ná  gosti,  Alex.  862. 

ro-indiltea  na  lina,  LU.  41a12. 
intód  a  turning,     ac  i.  cuici  38,  1.  2. 
Iudha  a  Jew.     dat.  pi.  Iudhaib  14,  2. 

Iubhdaibh,  ib. 
Iudaide  a  Jew.     dat.  pi.  do  Iudaidib  8, 

11.     ace.  fri  hludaidi  12,  3.     O.  Ir. 

Iudide,  Wb.  1  if  21,  2  a  4. 


láidim  I  exhort,  encourage.  inf.  ac 
láided  na  lath  ngaile  38, 1.  5.  laoidh- 
eadh  .i.  greasacht,  O'Cl.  norlaoidh- 
enn  .i.  doni  ar  ngreasacht,  ib. 
laoidhedh,  FM.  1522.  ni  dligid  duit- 
8iu  clann  Conaill  do  laidiud  ná  do 
luaig-grésacht,  MR.  154,  1.  a  laidiud, 
a  luatb-gresacht,  ib.  6.  'ga  laidiud, 
'ga  luamairecht,  ib.  182,  13.  luigbim 
1  encourage,  abet,  O'R. 

lochtach  faulty,  possessed  of  faults, 
6,  5. 

loman  f.  a  rope,  cord  Wi.  ace.  sg. 
lomain  6,  7.  gen.  cu  lomna,  LL. 
251b43.  ace.  pi.  is  mairg  thescas  a 
lomna,  |  noco  rf  cech  rodamna,  LL. 
120  marg. 

lúin  f.  a  lance  30,  12.  The  length  of 
the  u  and  the  gender  are  shown  in 
the  following  verses :  rí  Achaid  úir 
ibairdraignig  |  crathaid  (=  crothaid) 
in  lúin  lethanmerlig,  Ir.  T.  in.,  p.  12. 
dia  luin  .i.  dia  gbae,  RC.  xxiii.  325, 
§  15.  in  luin  lúath  échtach  Celtchair 
'na  láim,  LL.  267*. 


GLOSSARY 


51 


mád-at  if  (it  is  that)  thou  art  38,  7. 
mádat  óentadach-su  frinn,  TTr.2 
1801. 

maite  wood,  timber,  isin  maidi  righin 
28,  10. 

mí-dúthracht  f.  an  evil  wish  40,  L  3. 

min-brec  having  small  spots,  cú  m.  28, 
11. 

moch  early,     moch  siu  tisad  28,  10. 

mudaigim  /  ruin,  destroy  18,  2.  ros- 
mudaig,  ros-mill,  Fél.  cxlii.  rot- 
marbais,  rot-mudaigis,  SK.  1680. 

muin  (múin?)  a  treacherous  trick  26,  6. 
co  tard  m.  uime  26,  9.  in  m.  dobeiat 
Ulaid  immum-sa,  doberthar  tramúin 
impu,  LL.  289b5.  dobéra  muin 
n-inimi,  Ir.  T.  i.,  p.  144,  31.  dorat 
muin  imbe  do  cbatbugud  fri  Grécu, 
TTr.2  213. 

muin  back,  used  idiomatically  in  the 
phrase  for  muin  mo  mic  on  my  son's 
ijuarantee  26,  5.  a  log  mo  chuil  is 
mo  chelg  |  ma  romgab  muin  mó  each 
mairg,  Eg.  1782.  Cf.  do  muin  for 
the  sake  of. 

necht  pure,  bright  10,  12.  necht  tíach 
glan,  Conn.  10  s.  v.  cruthnecht. 

neimnech  venomous,  virulent  20,  1.  1. 
O'Mulc.  132. 

nél  a  swoon,  dororchair  i  nél  38,  5. 
duscid  asa  nél  38,  6.  tánic  iarom 
nell  chuice  co  tarmairt  écc  cen  anmain, 
LB.  112b. 

nemedach  dwelling,  or  a  dweller,  in 
Heaven,  10  Ed.  nimedach,  RC.  xxiii. 
430,  5. 

nem-thuir  r  cáin  comlund  crothfind 
Crist  ar  nemthuir  10,  12.  nemthuir 
necht  10,  12.  Cf.  nemthor  mbodba, 
MR.  170,  10? 

niam-derg  of  ruddy  beauty .  niabhderg, 
18,  1. 

noithech  renowned,  celebrated,  18,  1. 
SR.  Index.  iSidn.  Nennta,  Gwynn, 
Metr.  Dinds.  n.  8.  co  mesc  tuir 
noithig  Nebruaid,  LL.  130b36. 


rain,  a  by -form  of  ran  =  ro-ún  very 
noble.  ace.  m.  frisin  rig  ruin  20, 
1.8. 

rechtaire  m.  a  steward,  Wi.  rechtaire 
teglaig  Conaire,  LC.  %%h2&.  n.  pi. 
rechtairea  rig  Roman  12,  1.  reacht- 
uireadha  righ  an  domuin  14,  2. 

remi-tiagaim  I  go  before,  precede,  re- 
miteised  10,  12. 

resiu  conj.  before,  r.  dech  38,  8.  r. 
roba  matin  40,  9. 

rethoric  f.  a  composition  in  rhymeless 
verse,  10,  13.  canais  in  retoric  se, 
LU.  91  a  43.  rochan  in  rithoiric 
mbic  si  tria  glósnaithe  filidechta,  Eg. 
1782.  dorigni  in  retairic  sea  7  rochan 
na  runnu  sa,  LU.  38  a  27.  dorigni 
in  lethoric  seo,  LL.  254b.  See  on 
the  word  Windiscb,  Rev.  Celt,  v., 
p.  389,  and  O'Beirne  Crowe,  Journal  of 
the  Arch,  and  Hist.  Association,  1874, 
p.  129. 

ruacad  a  routing  36,  4.  frith  ar-ruaend 
co  rochruaid,  LL.  215b59.  inf.  of 
ruacaim  I  rout,  SG.  36,  27. 

rúamna  f.  redness,  co  rath  ruamnai 
cloth  20,  1.  14.  ni  rap  Tannaire 
rúamna  goa !    LL.  293b49. 

ruth  a  running,  course,  nir  garit  in 
ruth,  LL.  203  a.  luath  a  ruth,  SR. 
3107,  Aisl.  M.  79,  30.  for  ruth  20, 
1.  14.     SR.  4051. 


seicne  ?    gur  bhris  a  seicne  22  B. 
séim  subtle,     is  séimh  in  muin  26,  5. 
seisred  a  plough-team  24,  1. 
serb-airlech  of  bitter  counsel  10,  12. 
aiu  conj.  with  subj.  before,     siu  tisad 

28,  10. 
snath  a  thread,    dat.  co  snáth  óir  8,  10. 

'sa  snaad  on   the  line  (of  an    angle), 

Tochm.  Em.  31. 
sprethach  a  scattering,     sp.  a  inchinne 

22,  2.     40,  9. 


<*U>    omU  aUU^  'W*Uv  ^   F&uvw,  fmui,  li^S) 


M    U* 


"^no^ 


52 


GLOSSARY 


snathe  a  thread.  snathe  far  raise 
romebaid,  Tochm.  Ferbe  599.  Cf. 
Three  Shafts  21,  27.  snaithi  find- 
ruine  asa  n-ochraib,  Ir.  T.  m.  238, 
101. 

srian-balc  strong -bridled  18,  1. 


táin  f.  a  drove,     ace.  sg.  tánai  mbó  6, 

5. 
tathchreic    redemption    12,    2.     16,   3. 

mane  thised  in  Coimdiu  dia  t.,  Lism. 

47"2. 
tlacht  .i.  diten  protection,  O'Dav.  1512. 

.i.  étach,  ib.   1505.     .i.  écosc,  H.  3. 

18,  650'-.     fólaib  tlacht   18,   1.     gen. 

tlachta,  Laws    iv.   350,  5.      ace.  pi. 

tlachtu,  Fél.  Jan.  4. 


I  trú  fated  to  die,  a  doomed  person,  gen. 
pi.  fri  demna  troeh  20,  1.  17. 
Opposite  saeglach  long-lived,  see  Ir. 
Nenn.  197,  note  g.  .i.  ar  ti  a  tutma 
atá,  H.  3.  IS,  791.  ní  thesairg  trú 
teiched,  MR.  172,  8.  n.  pi.  dofáeth- 
sat  troich  lat,  H.  3.  18,  711. 
túth  a  smell,  stench,  la  t.  in  chroinn 
28,  10.  tuth  na  raibhe  foetor  sul- 
phuris,  Aiel.  Tund.  vn.  tuth  na 
mbachlach  aile  dochóid  iramut-so, 
LL.  2861-17. 
túthmar  smelling,  fragrant,  a  lusaib 
tuthmara  28,  10.  tuthmar  fer  .i. 
crann  fir  nó  elann,  H.  3.  18,  p.  34. 
Hence  túdmaire  f.  smell,  fragrance, 
Ml.  65<9. 


ADDITIONAL   NOTES 


p.  18,  $  2,  for  co  mbúaid  chain  read  with  L  commaid  chain,  which  gives  a 
rhyme  with  tonnaid.  With  Idech  frisralais  compare  conid-rolur-sa  frisin  fer 
n-uccut,  LU  63b  13. 

p.  20,  1.  4.     Perhaps  muni  is  here  a  place-name. 

p.  22,  $  2.  See  the  account  of  Loegaire's  death  in  Rev.  Celt,  xxm.,  pp.  320 
and  325,  where,  instead  of  Loch  Lai,  the  correct  form  Loch  Lóig  is  found. 


CORRIGENDA. 


p.  29,  1.  2,  for  '  them '  read  '  him '. 
p.  30,  $  12,  1.  1,  for  '  didiu '  read  '  din ' 


FURTHER  ADDENDA  AND  CORRIGENDA 

[The  following  are  found  in  Meyer's  own  copy.     O.  J.  B.] 

p.  vi,  last  line,  to  '  beginning  '  add  note  :  'Another  copy  of  this  version 
is  in  the  Stowe  MS.  C.I. 2.  fo.  5b-8a.' 

p.  vii,  add  note  :  '  Harl.  5280,  fo.  57b  :  Fiamain  mac  Forai  .i. 
Fiamhain  mac  Buidb  Deirg  meic  an  Daghda  a  Sid  for  (MS.  ier)  Femhin.' 

pp.  3,  5,  Conchobar,  add  note  :  '  Vita  Albei  (Acta  Sanct.  Hib.,  col. 
235)  :  Post  hec  venit  Palladius  ad  Hyberniam  insulam  multis  annis  ante 
Patricium,  ut  ibi  fidem  Dei  seminaret.  Cumque  Palladius  Christi 
passionem  regi  Conchobir  filio  Nessa  predicasset,  rex  zelo  Dei  commotus 
et  nimio  furore  repletus  dixit  :  Utinam  tunc  adessem  propinquus  ego  cum 
viris  Hulad  ut  pro  filio  Dei  totis  viribus  quasi  gigas  fortiter  pugnarem  et 
liberarem  eum.  Et  cum  hoc  dixisset  statim  lapis  qui  in  capite  eius  multo 
tempore  fuit  sursum  exilivit  et  ipse  pro  suo  zelo  vitam  eternam  adipisci 
meruit.     Palladius  autem  elevavit  crucem  cedrinam  iuxta  Stagnum  Gere.' 

pp.   10,  15,  'leg.  duleman.' 

p.  12,  §  2,  for  '  forcua[i]d  '  read  '  forcúad.' 

Note,  read  :  '  This  form,  which  means  '  who  has  created  ages 
(times)  '  etc.     Add  :  '  See  Bergin,   Ériu  VIII  99.' 

p.  13,  §  2,  for  '  happened  '  read  '  was  achieved.' 

p.  18,  10-1 1,  Meyer  adds  :  '  From  a  poem  of  six  stanzas  in  Laud  610, 
fo    74al.'  and  gives  variants. 

pp.    18-20,  §  2.    'Another  copy  in  the  Stowe  MS.   B.IV.2,   fo.    150b.' 

p.  26,  I,  for  '  Déisi  '  read  '  deise.' 

p.  27,  2,  for  '  ruin  of  the  Déisi  '  read  '  death  of  two.' 

p.  27,  14,  for  '  Wait  '  read  '  Stay  thou  (here),'  and  for  '  (with  thee)  ' 
read  '  there.' 

p.  33,   16,  for  '  Dalléces  '  read  'the  blind  poet.' 

p.  40,  4,  read  '  ikebaid.' 

p.  44,  7,  read  '  cech  ind.' 

p.  44,  8,  '  leg.  da-n-eim  fades[in].' 

p.  44,   13,  read  'Luchdonn,  or  Mouse-dun.' 

p.  46,  read  :  Adam  14,  §  2.  Blái  Briuga.  Cúrúi  mac  Dáire.  Eogan  .  .  . 
32,  §   1.    in  Luchdond.    Mugain  Aittinchaithrech. 

p.  48  a,    under  ardrach,    read  10,  1.  4    ...  ib.  11     ...     ib.  14. 

p.  48  b,  attall  queried  in  marg.  [inattail,  inatfail  B.IV.2,  means 
'  in  which  thou  art.'     O.  J.  B.] 

p.  49  a  4  f.  b.,  read  '  donescmart.' 

p.  49  b  5,  for  '  us  '  read  '  ages.' 

p.  50  a  10,  for  '  fo-menim  '  read  '  fo-moiniur.' 

p.  50  a  10,  5  f.  b.,  after  grenach  add  '  (from  grián)  .' 

p.  51  a,  under  muin  add  :  '  assed  dobeir  maoin  im  Flann,  FM  866 
(I  508,3)  .'